20 Members of Methamphetamine Smuggling Drug Organization Worth 20 Billion KRW Arrested in Southeast Asia

Methamphetamine seized by the police. / Provided by Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-ju] A drug trafficking gang attempting to smuggle hundreds of billions worth of methamphetamine from Southeast Asia for distribution in South Korea was caught in a large-scale police crackdown.

The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency's Narcotics Crime Investigation Unit announced on the 11th that they had arrested Mr. A, the mastermind behind the smuggling and sale of methamphetamine, on charges of violating the Narcotics Control Act. In addition, 11 gang members who transported, imported, and sold methamphetamine domestically through Mr. A, along with 8 individuals who possessed and used the drug, were apprehended, with 7 of them being detained.

According to the police, Mr. A is suspected of smuggling 6.3 kg of methamphetamine over five occasions from March to November last year, working with four transport and management operatives. The smuggled methamphetamine is valued at approximately 21 billion KRW, enough for simultaneous use by 210,000 people.

The seven distributors arrested alongside were found to have sold the smuggled methamphetamine using social networking services (SNS), while eight buyers purchased and used the drug, according to police investigations.

The police seized 2 kg of methamphetamine from an accomplice of Mr. A at the airport upon entry, as well as a total of 4.3 kg, including 2.3 kg smuggled via international mail.

Police investigations revealed that the organization operated in a strictly divided manner with roles such as ▲ mastermind of smuggling and sales ▲ smuggling agents ▲ transporters ▲ distributors, and recruited transporters through online job advertisements to evade detection, distributing methamphetamine domestically in a cell-like structure.

Police explained that, in particular, by establishing a cooperative system with Interpol, the National Intelligence Service, and law enforcement agencies in Southeast Asia, they were able to capture and extradite Mr. A, who attempted to smuggle methamphetamine into South Korea while on the run overseas.

A police official stated, “We plan to actively apply for seizure and confiscation before prosecution by verifying financial assets to recover criminal proceeds,” and emphasized, “We will continue rigorous crackdowns to cut off the circulation chain of narcotics, including smuggling, distribution, and use.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.