Man accused of trafficking 40 billion won in drugs admits to most charges
Prosecutors say he smuggled 46 kilograms of meth, 48 kilograms of ketamine and 76,000 ecstasy tablets between 2019 and 2021 and even supplied drugs to notorious Korean drug lord Park Wang-yeol.
Mug shots of Choi Byeong-min, accused of smuggling and distributing drugs in Korea
GYEONGGI NAMBU PROVINCIAL POLICE
A man accused of trafficking nearly 40 billion won ($26 million) worth of drugs, including supplying them to an alleged kingpin of a Philippines-based trafficking network, admitted to most charges at his first trial on Tuesday.
"We have not yet finished reviewing all the evidence records, but the defendant has actively cooperated throughout the investigation, undergoing questioning more than 10 times," the attorney of the defendant, Choi Byeong-min, said at the Suwon District Court. "We acknowledge most of the charges in the indictment."
The 50-year-old was indicted and detained on charges that included aggravated narcotics offenses under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes. Prosecutors allege that between September 2019 and September 2021, he smuggled and distributed narcotics worth about 38 billion won, including 46 kilograms of methamphetamine, 48 kilograms of ketamine and 76,000 ecstasy tablets. Authorities said he also supplied drugs to notorious Korean drug lord Park Wang-yeol, a relationship he allegedly admitted to after police uncovered evidence of drug transactions through mobile phone forensic analysis.
Further investigation has found that Choi also brought approximately 10 kilograms of methamphetamine, worth around 4 billion won, into Korea from Laos in July and August 2021, in connection with a Vietnamese drug organization.
The defense said it plans to explain the circumstances of Choi's involvement in the crimes in future proceedings and to argue that he has distanced himself from drug-related activity and pursued legitimate business since 2021. The attorney also said the defense would inform the court of the extent of Choi's cooperation with investigators, noting that "the defendant provided detailed accounts of the crimes and actively assisted in investigations into accomplices, in some cases directly leading to arrests."
His next hearing is scheduled for July 23.
Choi operated on Telegram under the handles "Cheongdam" and "Cheongdam Boss," and is said to have managed his criminal proceeds through borrowed-name accounts and cryptocurrency while living as a fugitive in Thailand. He is also reported to have led a lavish lifestyle, owning real estate in Seoul's Gangnam district and driving supercars. He faces charges of receiving 47 million won in drug sale proceeds in 2020 through borrowed-name bank accounts.
BY PARK JONG-SUH [[email protected]]
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.
