15 People Arrested for Drug Trafficking in Geoje and Tongyeong, 7 Detained

An organization distributing drugs in the western Gyeongnam region was caught by the Coast Guard.

On the 2nd, Tongyeong Coast Guard announced that they arrested 15 people, including foreign drug dealers and distribution organizations, detaining seven people including a Vietnamese national in their 20s, Mr. A, and sending eight others including a Vietnamese national in their 20s, Mr. B, to prosecution without detention.

The Coast Guard is arresting and transporting a group suspected of drug distribution and sales.
[Photo by Tongyeong Coast Guard, Gyeongnam]

According to Tongyeong Coast Guard, they are suspected of supplying and selling narcotics to foreign sailors and others.

Mr. A and others sold drugs such as ecstasy and ketamine to sailors, shipyard welders, and aquaculture workers along the southern coast from 2018 until last month.

They received drugs from a higher-level distributor active in Daegu and sold them at karaoke bars, massage shops, and foreigner-only clubs in places like Geoje and Tongyeong.

The distribution method included the so-called "throwing method," where drugs are left at a specific location and the dealer disappears.

Drugs, proceeds, and other evidence seized by Tongyeong Coast Guard in Gyeongnam. [Photo by Tongyeong Coast Guard]

Recently, Tongyeong Coast Guard received intelligence that large quantities of drugs such as ecstasy and ketamine, which have three times stronger hallucinogenic effects than methamphetamine, were being widely distributed to foreign sailors and maritime workers along the southern coast, and launched a large-scale investigation.

They held a working-level meeting with the Tongyeong branch of Changwon District Prosecutors' Office, shared prior related information, obtained arrest warrants, and arrested all members of the group in Daegu and Pohang.

They seized 304 ecstasy pills and 11.95g of ketamine worth approximately 65 million KRW.

A foreign sailor who was using drugs while fishing near Geoje was also caught on site.

Mr. A and his group tried to evade the police by hitting an officer with their car at a checkpoint and fleeing, but were eventually arrested after a pursuit.

Tongyeong Coast Guard has been operating a dedicated drug task force since October 2022, and so far has arrested 31 people involved in drug distribution, sales, and use, detaining 17 of them.

Investigation Chief Lee Jeong-seok said, “Tongyeong, Geoje, and Goseong are areas densely populated with shipyards, aquaculture farms, and fishing vessels, where many foreign workers live. We believe there are more distribution organizations similar to this case, and we will expand the investigation to prevent drug offenders from gaining a foothold on the southern coast.”

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