Korean, Thai authorities seize 50 tons of drug precursors in first production network raid on foreign soil
The National Intelligence Service worked closely with Thai authorities to seize chemicals at 10 warehouses in and around Bangkok Tuesday, the first time Korean enforcement has directly raided an overseas drug production base. The materials were enough to produce 21 tons of methamphetamine.
The National Intelligence Service raids a warehouse with drug precursor chemicals in Bangkok on June 9.NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE SERVICE
The National Intelligence Service (NIS) and Thai authorities seized a record amount of drug precursors in a joint operation in Thailand, marking the first time a Korean intelligence or law enforcement agency directly has raided an overseas drug production base.
The NIS, along with Thailand's Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB), raided 10 warehouses in Bangkok and nearby areas on Tuesday, seizing 50 tons of chemicals including acetone, hydrochloric acid and sulfuric acid, according to the NIS on Wednesday.
The seized materials were enough to produce 21 tons of methamphetamine or 1.1 billion tablets of yaba, a synthetic drug composed of methamphetamine and caffeine. If manufactured and distributed, the drugs would have been enough for about 700 million people to consume, with an estimated street value of 8.4 trillion won ($5.5 billion).
More than 100 personnel from five Thai agencies — including the ONCB, military and police — took part in the operation. The NIS dispatched narcotics specialists to the country at the request of Thai authorities and led the joint operation.
The operation follows the arrest and extradition of Thapanan, a Thai drug kingpin, in April. Thapanan's cartel handled more than half of Thailand’s drug distribution market and has been the subject of around 50 arrest warrants issued over the past decade.
Thapanan entered Korea under a false identity to undergo cosmetic procedures, but was arrested at a hotel in Seoul through cooperation between the intelligence agencies of the two countries.
The NIS and ONCB has been continuing their joint investigation into Thapanan.
Investigators found that he purchased drug precursor chemicals from abroad and manufactured drugs in the Golden Triangle, the border region shared by Myanmar, Laos and Thailand. The drugs were then distributed to other countries, including Korea and Australia.
Seized drugs such as propofol are displayed at the Seoul Central District Prosecutor's Office in Seocho District, southern Seoul, on Nov. 20, 2024.YONHAP
Tuesday's operation was launched after authorities received information that a large amount of precursor chemicals were hidden in warehouses in Thailand.
NIS has traditionally focused on tracking overseas drug suppliers and repatriating them back to Korea. In March, authorities brought back Park Wang-ryeol, identified as the mastermind behind drug trafficking from the Philippines, through cooperation involving the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, prosecutors, police and local authorities.
However, the NIS shifted to a more proactive strategy, directly raiding production bases as drug crimes originating from Southeast Asia intensified. There were 294 kilograms (648 pounds) of drugs brought in from Thailand in 2024, which is 39 percent of all narcotics smuggled into Korea.
“The operation is significant because it dismantled the source of drug production supplying not only Korea but also Asia,” the NIS's Transnational Crime Information Center said. “We will continue strengthening cooperation with countries dealing with drug production and distribution issue to pre-emptively block international narcotics supply chains and take a leading role in global antidrug efforts.”
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
