Seoul:A South Korean man in his 80s, suspected of transporting over five tons of narcotics, has been repatriated to South Korea after spending 22 years evading authorities. The suspect was involved in drug trafficking operations off the coast of South America in the early 2000s, according to police reports released on Monday.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the Korean National Police Agency (KNPA) confirmed that the man, whose identity has not been disclosed, was returned to South Korea on October 20. His repatriation was coordinated with the Busan Coast Guard following his deportation by Ghanaian authorities, where he had been hiding since fleeing from law enforcement.
The suspect is accused of facilitating the transportation of narcotics for a drug trafficking organization on five separate occasions between 2002 and 2004. At that time, he held the position of a supervisor on a deep-sea fishing vessel. The narcotics, believed to be 5,385 kilograms of cocaine valued at approximately 4.8 trillion won (US$3.6 billion), were moved in international waters off South America.
Following the arrest of his accomplices, the suspect fled to Ghana in 2004, where he lived as an undocumented immigrant. His eventual capture was made possible after being placed on Interpol's wanted list by the Busan Coast Guard and through collaborative information sharing between the KNPA and Ghanaian police authorities.