Thai fugitives accused of Rohingya smuggling have been deported from South Korea after a five-year manhunt

Two Thai fugitives accused of leading 24 Rohingya refugees after their deaths in a harrowing human trafficking case, have been deported again Thailand after he was arrested in South Korea.

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

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

“Extradition is a reciprocal process, and this case sets a precedent for our own fugitives to face justice here,” Lee Young-pil, head of the International Crime Department of Gyeonggi-do Southern Police, told Asia this week .

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

Thai police believe most of the refugees suffocated in the cramped space, where they were denied food and water. Among the victims were several underage girls.