A South Korean man wanted for drug trafficking has been arrested in Chon Buri province, Thailand.
Seo Jung Num, 44, was accused of smuggling crystal methamphetamine from Thailand to South Korea, according to Pol Lt Gen Panurat Lakboon, secretary-general of the Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB).
In December last year, South Korean authorities intercepted a package containing crystal meth hidden in coffee and bean bags, sent from Thailand. The recipient was arrested, and an investigation revealed that Seo Jung Num was the sender. Although South Korean police obtained a warrant for his arrest, Seo had already fled to Thailand.
South Korean authorities coordinated with the ONCB to locate Seo, leading investigators to a hotel in Bang Lamung district, Chon Buri, where he was arrested on Thursday. Following his arrest, the ONCB informed the Immigration Bureau, declaring Mr. Seo persona non grata for his involvement in drug trafficking and requested his visa be revoked. Immigration officers discovered that he had overstayed his visa.
Pol Lt Gen Panurat emphasized the close cooperation between Thai and South Korean authorities in combating transnational drug crimes. He also noted that seven South Korean drug suspects were arrested last year, while five more have been apprehended so far this year.
