Ghana has deported a South Korean man in his 80s who had been on the run for about 22 years over his alleged involvement in the transportation of more than five tonnes of cocaine in international waters off South America.
The man, whose identity has not been disclosed, was repatriated to South Korea on 20 October following coordination between Ghanaian authorities, the Korean National Police Agency and the Busan Coast Guard.
South Korean police said the suspect had been living in Ghana as an undocumented immigrant since around 2004, after fleeing following the arrest of his alleged accomplices.
He is accused of transporting narcotics on five separate occasions between 2002 and 2004 while serving as a supervisor aboard a deep-sea fishing vessel.
According to the Korean National Police Agency, the shipments are believed to have contained 5,385 kilogrammes of cocaine, estimated to be worth about 4.8 trillion South Korean won, equivalent to approximately $3.6 billion.
Investigators allege that the suspect transported the drugs on behalf of a drug trafficking organisation and received payments for the shipments.
His whereabouts were established through information sharing between South Korean and Ghanaian police after the Busan Coast Guard placed him on Interpol’s wanted list.
The operation culminated in his deportation from Ghana and subsequent return to South Korea, where he is expected to face the allegations against him.
