Mr. Choi (51), who was forcibly repatriated from Thailand on suspicion of supplying drugs worth approximately 10 billion won, including methamphetamine, to Park Wang-yeol, known as the "Drug King," was arrested on the 3rd.

Park Wang-yeol's drug supplier attends warrant examination [Yonhap News Agency] 

Presiding Judge Park So-young of the Suwon District Court held a preliminary hearing for the arrest warrant for Mr. Choi, who is accused of violating the Narcotics Control Act, around 3:30 PM that day and issued the arrest warrant.

Judge Park stated that the reason for issuing the warrant was "the risk of flight and destruction of evidence."

Earlier, as Mr. Choi left the Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police Agency's Narcotics and International Crimes Investigation Unit building around 2:05 PM to attend the warrant examination, he proceeded to the escort vehicle without responding to reporters' questions about whether he admitted to the charges.

In the police investigation, Mr. Choi reportedly admitted to some of the charges related to other separate drug offenses but denied any involvement with Park Wang-yeol, the main subject of the investigation, stating, "I don't know him."

The police are currently focusing on analyzing evidence, including 13 mobile phones seized in Thailand when Mr. Choi was repatriated, through digital forensics.

The police plan to investigate the scale of transactions between Mr. Choi and Park Wang-yeol, the exact criminal proceeds, and all other charges against Mr. Choi, including violations of the Passport Act, now that he is in custody.

Furthermore, they intend to investigate, through cooperative efforts, whether there are drug production facilities in Thailand.

Mr. Choi is accused of smuggling or distributing approximately 10 billion won worth of narcotics, including 22 kg of methamphetamine, into Korea since 2019.

Using aliases such as 'Cheongdam' and 'Cheongdam Sajaeng' on Telegram, Mr. Choi lived a lavish lifestyle, owning significant real estate in Cheongdam-dong with his family and driving "supercars."

While investigating Park Wang-yeol, who was forcibly repatriated from the Philippines on March 25th, Korean police obtained clues that Mr. Choi was a drug supplier.

Park Wang-yeol's drug supplier attends warrant examination [Yonhap News Agency] 

Considering that Mr. Choi was under a warrant and had his prosecution suspended by the Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police Agency in connection with other drug smuggling cases, the police designated the Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police Agency's Narcotics and International Crimes Investigation Unit as the primary investigative unit and had been tracking Mr. Choi's whereabouts.

Upon confirming that Mr. Choi was residing in Thailand, they initiated a joint investigation with the Thai police and apprehended him in Thailand on the 10th of last month.

The police executed the arrest warrant for Mr. Choi on the morning of the 1st, as he boarded the plane at the Thai airport.