Nigerian Drug Kingpin Extradited to Korea

A Nigerian drug trafficker has been extradited from China to Korea, the Justice Ministry in Seoul said yesterday.

Obioha Frank Chinedu is suspected of using Korean women to smuggle narcotics obtained from Southeast Asia throughout Europe.

The narcotics division of the Seoul Central Prosecutors’ Office began questioning Frank after taking him into custody yesterday.

Fluent in eight languages including Korean and English, Frank ran a paper company in Seoul from March to October 2003. He allegedly recruited unsuspecting Korean women as couriers for narcotics such as cocaine and hemp from Thailand and Brazil, and circulated them in Japan, the Netherlands and Korea.

He recruited his couriers by offering them free overseas trips, and had them deliver drugs disguised as apparel and bags. A dozen Korean women fell prey to his plot and ended up behind bars abroad on narcotic charges.

Frank was arrested in Germany in October 2003 and was deported to Denmark. There, he was put in prison until he escaped in May 2004.

Using a fake passport, he entered China in December 2006 and changed his name to Michael. He then worked there as English teacher. Chinese authorities verified his real identity and arrested him in February last year.

Under a Sino-Korean extradition treaty, the Korean Justice Ministry requested Frank`s extradition and the appellate court of China`s Liaoning Province approved the request in October last year.

Frank was taken to the prosecutor`s office yesterday afternoon, telling reporters that he will say nothing without a lawyer.

dnsp@donga.com