Man in his 80s accused of transporting 4.8 trillion won worth of drugs repatriated after 22 years on the run

[Financial News] A man in his 80s suspected of transporting narcotics worth about 4.8 trillion won on the high seas off South America was repatriated to South Korea after spending about 22 years on the run in Ghana, Africa.
The National Police Agency said on the 26th that it had coordinated with the Busan Coast Guard and repatriated A, a man in his 80s who was the subject of an Interpol Red Notice, from Ghana to South Korea on the 20th, where he was arrested.
A is suspected of having served as the person responsible for management and supervision aboard deep-sea fishing vessel B from 2002 to 2004, transporting narcotics for a drug trafficking organization on the high seas off South America.
The narcotics A is believed to have transported consisted of about 5,385 kg of cocaine, with an estimated market value of about 4.8 trillion won. Police believe A transported narcotics on a total of five occasions and received transportation fees in return.
Investigators believe A fled to Ghana after his accomplices, who had been aboard the same vessel, faced legal action. From around 2004 onward, he continued living there while staying illegally.
The Busan Coast Guard continued its search, including by requesting an Interpol Red Notice for A. The National Police Agency also exchanged information with Ghanaian police and conducted a joint investigation, ultimately confirming A’s whereabouts in the country.
With assistance from the South Korean Embassy in Ghana, local police subsequently arrested A on suspicion of illegal stay. Under Ghanaian authorities’ deportation procedures, A was repatriated to South Korea on the 20th, about 22 years after his last offense.
The Busan Coast Guard took custody of A and placed him in the detention facility at the Busan Coast Guard Station. It plans to investigate in depth the specific details of how the narcotics were transported, records of transportation fee payments, and A’s links to the drug trafficking organization.
The National Police Agency and the Korea Coast Guard said, “This repatriation was made possible through close cooperation among the two agencies, the local embassy and the relevant Ghanaian authorities,” adding, “We will continue to track down suspects in serious maritime crimes who have fled overseas and respond rigorously.”
[email protected] Kim Ye-ji Reporter