Police go undercover as farmers to catch human traffickers

South Korean police said Thursday they apprehended two Thai nationals who are believed to have fled here after their human trafficking operation in Thailand resulted in the deaths of multiple victims, in an undercover investigation where officers disguised themselves as farmers near the suspects' hiding place.

The international criminal investigation unit of the Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police said two suspects, aged 44 and 31, have been extradited to their home country. The older suspect was caught in Naju, South Jeolla Province, in June, while the younger was found in Icheon, Gyeonggi Province, in July.

The suspects are accused of kidnapping 24 Rohingya -- an ethnic minority residing in Southeast Asia -- and taking them from Myanmar to Thailand to be sold on the black market. All the victims reportedly died in the process after being neglected inside the truck without food or water for a lengthy period while crossing borders.

Authorities believe the suspects lured the victims with false promises of employment.

Most members of the human trafficking ring were apprehended by Thai police, but two suspects fled to South Korea in April 2019, remaining in hiding since. Upon request of Thai police in June this year, local police have been investigating the case.

In order to avoid detection by the suspects, Korean police officers disguised as workers at a nearby pepper farm.

Royal Thai Police last month presented a certificate of appreciation to Kim Jun-yeong, chief of the Gyeonggi Nambu police.