Korean National Arrested for Attempting to Smuggle Philopon in Thailand

Thailand Narcotics Control Bureau - Korea Joint Investigation

A Korean national attempting to smuggle drugs from Thailand to Korea was arrested in Thailand.

According to the local media Bangkok Post on the 5th (local time), the Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB) arrested a Korean national, Mr. A, at a hotel in Banglamung district, Chonburi province near Bangkok on the 3rd.

Mr. A was wanted in Korea on charges of smuggling methamphetamine (Philopon) from Thailand to Korea.

In December last year, Korean authorities discovered Philopon hidden inside coffee and bean bag chairs shipped from Thailand to Korea, seized these items, and arrested the person who was supposed to receive them in Korea.

Anutin Chanwirakul, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior of Thailand, held a press conference on December 12 last year (local time) at the Thong Pha Phum Police Operation Center in Kanchanaburi Province, western Thailand, displaying 50 million methamphetamine (Philopon) pills seized from the Myanmar border area. This is the largest single quantity ever seized by the Thai police, with a market value of 1.5 billion baht (approximately 55.2 billion KRW). 2024.10.05

Korean police investigation revealed that Mr. A had sent these items, and an arrest warrant was issued, but Mr. A had fled to Thailand.

Korean authorities requested cooperation from the ONCB to help arrest Mr. A, and after tracking him down, the ONCB confirmed his whereabouts and succeeded in arresting him.

Subsequently, the ONCB requested the Thai Immigration Bureau to cancel Mr. A's entry visa on the grounds that he was a drug suspect, and the Immigration Bureau confirmed that Mr. A had overstayed his visa period.