NIS Arrests Mastermind Supplying Philopon in Gangnam Academy District's Drug Drink Case

Successful Arrest of Chinese Mastermind in Cambodia
Over 700g of Methamphetamine Found in Hideout
Preemptive Prevention of Large-Scale Smuggling to Korea

The National Intelligence Service, along with the prosecution, police, and Cambodian police, apprehended Mr. A, the Chinese mastermind of the "Gangnam Academy District Drug Beverage" case, on the 16th in Cambodia.
Photo by National Intelligence Service

The main supplier of methamphetamine involved in the 'drug beverage' incident that terrorized the academy district in Daechi-dong, Gangnam, Seoul last April was arrested in Cambodia.

On the 19th, the National Intelligence Service (NIS) announced that on the 16th, they apprehended the Chinese ringleader Mr. A (38) in Cambodia, in cooperation with the prosecution, police, and Cambodian police.

Our authorities attempted to repatriate Mr. A to Korea, but since methamphetamine and manufacturing equipment were found at the arrest site, he will be punished locally under Cambodian law.

The NIS had been tracking the whereabouts of Mr. A, the key supplier and main culprit in the 'Gangnam academy district drug beverage' case, but had not secured any significant leads.

However, in January, they caught a Chinese national Mr. B (34) who was entering Incheon Airport from Cambodia with 4 kg of methamphetamine hidden in his suitcase, and confirmed that the mastermind behind this was the same Mr. A involved in the 'Gangnam academy district drug beverage' case.

The NIS learned that Mr. A was continuously supplying drugs from Cambodia to Korea and immediately began cooperation with the Supreme Prosecutors' Office Narcotics Division, the National Police Agency Narcotics Organized Crime Investigation Division, and Cambodian police.

Through the 'Asia Narcotics Information Cooperation Body (INTAC)', launched in February, they also succeeded in organizing a dedicated tracking team within the Cambodian police.

Large quantity of drugs found at the hideout of Chinese mastermind Mr. A in the 'Gangnam Academy District Drug Drink' case (Photo by National Intelligence Service)

Using information provided by the NIS and others, the local police conducted a stakeout investigation and ultimately succeeded in arresting Mr. A, who was hiding in a villa in central Phnom Penh on the 16th.

At Mr. A's hideout, about 700 grams of methamphetamine sufficient for simultaneous use by approximately 23,000 people was discovered. It was revealed that after sending samples to China and Korea to gauge market response, Mr. A planned to supply large quantities of drugs to Korea, where the response was better than in China.

An NIS official stated, "If Mr. A had not been apprehended, a large amount of drugs would have been smuggled in and used for new types of crimes like the 'Gangnam academy district drug beverage' incident. We will relentlessly track and arrest international criminal organizations threatening the lives and health of our citizens, regardless of domestic or overseas locations."