S. Korea deports Thai drug kingpin to Thailand | Yonhap News Agency

## Summary
OK SEOUL, April 7 (Yonhap) -- South Korean authorities have arrested and deported a Thai drug trafficking suspect accused of running an international narcotics operation for more than 25 years to his home country, Seoul's spy agency said Tuesday. The 44-year-old suspect was arrested at a hotel in southern Seoul the previous day and deported to Thailand earlier in the day at the request of Thailand's Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB), according to the National Intelligence Service (NIS). This combined image, provided by the National Intelligence Service on April 7, 2026, shows a Thai suspect arrested by South Korean authorities (L) and being escorted by five Thai government officials following his deportation. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) (END) Related Articles Over 100,000 customs violations by foreigners reported over past 5 years: data Over 3 tons of illegal drugs seized at border in 2025, setting record high: customs agency Record 3,000 kgs of illegal drugs seized at border this year: customs agency S. Korea seizes 70 kilograms of illegal drugs in joint crackdown with Thai authorities Keywords #Thailand #drug kingpin Articles with issue keywords Most Liked Oscar-winning 'KPop Demon Hunters' directors promise 'bigger,' more 'eventful' sequel (LEAD) BTS tops Billboard albums chart for 2nd week with 'Arirang,' a first in K-pop BTS to drop 'Come Over,' exclusive new track on 'Arirang' LP Lee voices hope for peace in Easter message (LEAD) Trump calls on countries to 'go get your own oil' from Strait of Hormuz, or buy it from U.S.

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SEOUL, April 7 (Yonhap) -- South Korean authorities have arrested and deported a Thai drug trafficking suspect accused of running an international narcotics operation for more than 25 years to his home country, Seoul's spy agency said Tuesday.
The 44-year-old suspect was arrested at a hotel in southern Seoul the previous day and deported to Thailand earlier in the day at the request of Thailand's Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB), according to the National Intelligence Service (NIS).
According to the ONCB, the suspect is accused of distributing large quantities of narcotics, including 11.5 tons of methamphetamine, 271 million yaba pills and 5 tons of ketamine, across multiple countries.
"The size is unprecedented for a single organization," an NIS official said.
The methamphetamine could supply up to 380 million users, with an estimated value of 4.6 trillion won (US$3.1 billion), the NIS said.
The suspect had legally entered South Korea using a third-country passport and was staying in Seoul's Gangnam district, it noted.
Thai authorities had issued about 50 arrest warrants for the suspect over the past decade, but he is believed to have continued his criminal activities while evading law enforcement, according to the Thai authorities.
This combined image, provided by the National Intelligence Service on April 7, 2026, shows a Thai suspect arrested by South Korean authorities (L) and being escorted by five Thai government officials following his deportation. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
(END)
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S. Korea deports Thai drug kingpin to Thailand

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## Expert Analysis

### Merits
N/A

### Areas for Consideration
- Korea seizes 70 kilograms of illegal drugs in joint crackdown with Thai authorities Keywords #Thailand #drug kingpin Articles with issue keywords Most Liked Oscar-winning 'KPop Demon Hunters' directors promise 'bigger,' more 'eventful' sequel (LEAD) BTS tops Billboard albums chart for 2nd week with 'Arirang,' a first in K-pop BTS to drop 'Come Over,' exclusive new track on 'Arirang' LP Lee voices hope for peace in Easter message (LEAD) Trump calls on countries to 'go get your own oil' from Strait of Hormuz, or buy it from U.S.

### Implications
- The methamphetamine could supply up to 380 million users, with an estimated value of 4.6 trillion won (US$3.1 billion), the NIS said.
- Korea seizes 70 kilograms of illegal drugs in joint crackdown with Thai authorities Keywords #Thailand #drug kingpin Articles with issue keywords Most Liked Oscar-winning 'KPop Demon Hunters' directors promise 'bigger,' more 'eventful' sequel (LEAD) BTS tops Billboard albums chart for 2nd week with 'Arirang,' a first in K-pop BTS to drop 'Come Over,' exclusive new track on 'Arirang' LP Lee voices hope for peace in Easter message (LEAD) Trump calls on countries to 'go get your own oil' from Strait of Hormuz, or buy it from U.S.
- Most Saved Oscar-winning 'KPop Demon Hunters' directors promise 'bigger,' more 'eventful' sequel (LEAD) Trump calls on countries to 'go get your own oil' from Strait of Hormuz, or buy it from U.S. (3rd LD) Lee says S.
- Korea, France agree to cooperate on safe passage through Strait of Hormuz Most Viewed All Categories (LEAD) Kim Yo-jong says N.

### Expert Commentary
This article covers korea, thai, suspect topics. Areas of concern are also raised. Readability: Flesch-Kincaid grade 0.0. Word count: 586.