Undercover Drug Investigation Budget Stagnates at 300 Million Won for 8 Years... "Responsibility Burden, Legal Basis Must Be Established"

Seoul Drug Task Force Only 12 Teams
Police Consider Legal Revision for Undercover Investigations

As drug crimes evolve recently, including the drug beverage incident in the academy district of Daechi-dong, Gangnam, it has been revealed that the budget for undercover investigations to catch drug criminals has remained at 300 million KRW for eight years. Within the police force, considering that the entire process of drug crimes such as manufacturing and distribution is organized in a cell structure, there are calls for establishing legal grounds for undercover investigations.

On the 11th, a National Police Agency official stated, "The budget for drug undercover investigations has been set at 300 million KRW annually from 2016 to this year," adding, "If the undercover investigation budget is insufficient, we use funds from case investigation expenses." The number of personnel dedicated to drug investigations is only 363, and among the 31 police stations in Seoul, fewer than half?11 stations?have dedicated drug teams. Currently, the Seoul police stations with dedicated drug teams include Gangnam, Seocho, Songpa, Namdaemun, Yongsan, Dongdaemun, Mapo, Yeongdeungpo, Gwanak, Gangseo, and Nowon.

Emergence of 'New Crimes' Combining Drugs and Voice Phishing... Division of Roles

New types of crimes combining drugs and voice phishing have emerged, but the police budget and manpower remain stagnant, raising concerns that eradicating these crimes will be difficult.

On the 3rd, an incident occurred near the academy district of Daechi-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, and near Gangnam-gu Office Station, where beverages containing methamphetamine were distributed to students. The police believe there is a mastermind and backing in China, who gave instructions to the drug beverage manufacturers and relay operators. The police are responding with full force, believing that drugs were manufactured and distributed under a command system with divided roles. They are currently invalidating the passports of the higher-ups in China and cooperating with Chinese authorities to track them down.

Within the police, there are voices calling for legal grounds for undercover investigations as drug crimes become more sophisticated and organized in cells. Under current law, police undercover investigations are only permitted for digital sex crimes targeting children and adolescents. For drug crimes, only opportunity-providing types of undercover operations are possible, not inducement types. This means undercover investigations can only provide opportunities for crimes to those who already intend to commit them.

A police officer who was in charge of drug investigations in Gangnam, Seoul, said, "Drug undercover investigations are not formalized like digital sex crimes targeting children and adolescents," adding, "Basically, investigations proceed only when a 112 emergency call is received." He also added, "Last year, the number of reports was so high that there were limits even in investigating drug users."

A detective from a violent crimes unit in a frontline Seoul police station said, "The reason drug crimes have become serious recently is that they have spread even to teenagers and housewives," adding, "There are many types of drugs such as methamphetamine, propofol, and cocaine, and since they are imported from places like Southeast Asia, the need for sting operations is increasing, but it is true that there is a heavy burden of responsibility on the ground."

Experts Emphasize the Need for Undercover Investigations... "Active Arrests of Manufacturers and Distributors Needed"

Experts also advise that manufacturers and distributors should be actively arrested through undercover investigations. Seung Jae-hyun, senior researcher at the Korea Institute of Criminal Justice Policy, said, "Since many cases lie on the borderline between inducement and opportunity provision, it is difficult for field police officers to conduct investigations while taking responsibility," emphasizing, "To completely dismantle drug crime organizations and arrest the leaders, undercover investigations to verify the existence of actual organizations must be guaranteed." Oh Sang-ji, professor of police studies at the Korean National Police University, also advised, "To efficiently control organized activities, methods beyond opportunity-providing sting operations are necessary," adding, "Undercover investigations involving secret observation and surveillance of drug distribution leaders and organizations are needed."

The police have also defined drug crimes as a chronic pathological phenomenon that harms society and plan to respond with full force. Yoon Hee-geun, Commissioner of the National Police Agency, instructed, "Respond with full effort and determination equivalent to a top emergency to eradicate drug crimes."

Meanwhile, from August to December last year, the police arrested about 5,700 drug offenders, of whom 791 were detained.

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