Photo: Screenshot of CCTV News

Chinese police have recently transferred to the South Korean police a red notice South Korean fugitive who deceived young students into consuming drug-laced drinks in a high-profile drug scam case, China Central Television reported on Wednesday.

The South Korean police announced in April that the 26-year-old fugitive surnamed Lee, who was a lead suspect in the case, and other suspects injected methamphetamine into drinks and distributed the drug-spiked beverages to over 10 teenage students in Seoul's southern Gangnam Ward in April, falsely labeled as products intended to enhance memory and concentration.

Several parents of the students who received the drinks were later blackmailed with demands for money and threats to report their children to the police for drug charges.

Lee was put on the wanted list by the South Korean police for the charge of suspicion of providing drugs to minors and intentional extortion. Meanwhile, the South Korean police applied to the Interpol for a red notice against Lee.

At the request of the South Korean police, China's Ministry of Public Security deployed the public security department in Northeast China's Jilin Province to conduct an investigation.

With close cooperation between the law enforcement agencies of both countries, the Jilin police apprehended Lee who was hiding in China. After completing the relevant investigation on Lee, China decided to deport him and hand him over to the South Korean side in accordance with the laws.

In recent years, Chinese police have been attaching great importance to combating transnational crimes such as drug trafficking, especially those that infringe upon the rights of minors. They have continuously strengthened cooperation with Interpol and the law enforcement departments of various countries.

The close collaboration between the Chinese and South Korean police in this case, which resulted in a timely arrest and transfer of the criminal suspect, vividly demonstrates the confidence and determination of both countries' law enforcement departments in jointly combating transnational crimes. It is also a positive outcome of the deepening and pragmatic cooperation between the two sides who have been continually enhancing joint efforts in fugitive hunting operations.

Global Times