Overview
- Police referred Park Wang-yeol to prosecutors on Friday while he remained in custody, alleging smuggling, distribution and attempted sales worth about 13.1 billion won.
- Investigators say they intercepted 17.7 kilograms of narcotics, including 12.7 kilograms of methamphetamine, from November 2019 to August 2024, with suspected proceeds of about 6.8 billion won.
- Police describe a cross-border network that used Telegram sales channels, one-on-one chats, “throwing” drop-offs, drug mules and international cargo from the Philippines, Mexico and Vietnam.
- The financial trail includes 2,099 bank transfers worth about 940 million won and 547 cryptocurrency transactions totaling 57.5 bitcoin, with a review underway of a possible additional 94.6 bitcoin.
- Park was temporarily repatriated on March 25 after years in a Philippine prison, a court approved his detention on March 27, and police report 236 people apprehended with 42 detained as a multi-agency probe continues.