Thai fugitives accused of Rohingya trafficking deported from South Korea after 5-year manhunt

The arrests expose the human trafficking crisis in Thailand, and the need for better protections for Rohingya refugees

Reading Time:2 minutes

Published: 2:24pm, 15 Nov 2024Updated: 2:37pm, 15 Nov 2024

Two Thai fugitives, accused of leading 24 Rohingya refugees to their deaths in a harrowing human trafficking case, have been deported back to Thailand after being apprehended in South Korea.

South Korean authorities tracked and arrested the suspects, who evaded capture for five years, according to police officials.

A Thai police representative expressed gratitude last month for the cooperation between the two countries, made possible under a 1999 deportation agreement.

“Extradition is a reciprocal process, and this case sets a precedent for our own fugitives to face justice here,” Lee Young-pil, head of Gyeonggi-do Southern Police Agency’s international crime division, told This Week in Asia.

The suspects, identified only as Mr. A and Mr. B, are accused of leading the refugees into a deadly smuggling operation more than five years ago. They allegedly attempted to transport them through Thailand to Malaysia in a packed, sealed truck.

Thai police believe that most of the refugees suffocated in the cramped space, where they were deprived of food and water. Several underage girls were among those who died.