The suspect, identified only as A, a 41-year-old South Korean national, was apprehended in Thailand. (Image courtesy of Police Department)
SEOUL, April 11 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korean authorities have extradited the leader of a massive international drug trafficking ring responsible for smuggling hundreds of billions of won worth of narcotics into the country, officials announced Friday.
The suspect, identified only as A, a 41-year-old South Korean national, was apprehended in Thailand last November following a joint investigation by South Korean and Thai authorities. He was flown to Incheon International Airport on April 11, 2025, under police escort after months of coordinated diplomatic and law enforcement efforts.
A is accused of masterminding a drug smuggling operation that brought approximately 60 billion won (about $44 million) worth of methamphetamine and ketamine into South Korea between October 2022 and November 2024. The drugs were trafficked via a multinational network of couriers—composed of South Korean and Thai nationals—who concealed the substances on their bodies during flights into the country.
Authorities say the ketamine, commonly referred to as “K” or “club drug” among young people, was widely distributed in nightlife districts, including Seoul’s Gangnam area, and throughout the nation.
The investigation, led by the Pyeongchang Police and the Yeongwol Branch of the Chuncheon District Prosecutors’ Office, culminated in the arrest of 27 individuals in July 2023, including 23 members of the smuggling network, three distributors, and one user. Sentences ranging from four to twelve years were later upheld in court.
Investigators revealed that the syndicate was rooted in personal connections among individuals from the Ansan area and operated with a strict code of conduct. Members were assigned specific roles—such as financing, recruitment, transport, and sales—and threatened with retribution if they attempted to leave the group.
Although much of the organization was dismantled in 2023, A managed to evade capture, prompting the National Police Agency to issue a red notice through Interpol. A was designated a high-priority international fugitive, and intelligence efforts were bolstered through cooperation with the National Intelligence Service.
In November 2024, a joint Korean-Thai task force located A hiding in Khon Kaen, about 500 kilometers northeast of Bangkok. Following extended surveillance, he was arrested on November 19. Authorities also thwarted an attempted release through swift diplomatic intervention, securing a deportation order in coordination with Thai immigration and detention authorities.
“This operation demonstrates the success of close international cooperation in the fight against drug trafficking,” said Lee Jun-hyung, director of international cooperation at the National Police Agency. “South Korea and Thailand share a strong commitment to eradicating narcotics.”
The Pyeongchang Police said they plan to seek a formal arrest warrant as they proceed with the investigation.
M. H. Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)
