Caught the Largest Drug Smuggling Ever... Busan District Prosecutors' Office Seizes 1.3 Trillion Won Worth of Philopon Used by 13 Million People

The Anti-Corruption and Violent Crime Division of the Busan District Prosecutors' Office on the 1st arrested and indicted drug offender A (34), who smuggled 404.23 kg of methamphetamine worth 1.3 trillion KRW (retail price) from Mexico. The photo shows the entire methamphetamine seizure confiscated by the prosecution. [Image source=Busan District Prosecutors' Office]

Helical gear used to conceal methamphetamine. [Image source=Busan District Prosecutors' Office]

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Yong-woo] The largest-ever drug smuggling case involving an amount worth over 1 trillion won, enough for 13 million people to consume, has been uncovered.

The Busan District Prosecutors' Office Anti-Corruption and Violent Crime Investigation Division (Chief Prosecutor Choi Hyuk) announced on the 1st that they have arrested and indicted a drug offender in his 30s, A (male), who smuggled 404.23 kg of methamphetamine worth 1.3 trillion won (retail price) from Mexico.

A is accused of conspiring with accomplice B to smuggle 404.23 kg of methamphetamine hidden inside 20 cylindrical machine parts called helical gears imported from Mexico in December 2019 and July last year.

The Busan Regional Customs Office and the Busan District Prosecutors' Office's special task force for large-scale drug smuggling cases cooperated with the National Intelligence Service and overseas agencies from the investigation's outset to seize all methamphetamine remaining in the country, excluding the methamphetamine exported to Australia from the methamphetamine smuggled from Mexico.

The seized 404.23 kg of methamphetamine is enough for 13.5 million people to consume simultaneously, marking the largest scale of drug smuggling in South Korea's history. The retail value is approximately 1.3 trillion won.

The Busan District Prosecutors' Office is currently tracking smuggler B, who directed and led the crime while staying abroad.

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