Last Year, Record High of Over 18,000 Domestic 'Drug Offenders'... Sharp Increase Among Those Under 30

Under 30s Number 10,988... 109% Increase Compared to 5 Years Ago
Seized 'Psychotropic Drugs' 616kg... Serious Foreign Smuggling

As a result of the prosecution expanding investigations into drug supply offenders, the number of drug offenders exceeded 18,000 last year, marking an all-time high. In particular, drug offenders aged 30 and under saw a significant increase.

The Drug Organized Crime Division of the Supreme Prosecutors' Office (Chief Prosecutor Park Jae-eok) published the 2022 Drug Crime White Paper on the 5th. The Drug White Paper is the only white paper published targeting a single crime category in Korea and has been published once a year since 1990.

According to the Drug White Paper, the number of drug offenders last year was 18,395, a 45.8% increase compared to five years ago in 2018. The quantity of seized drugs increased by 93.9% compared to five years ago. Smuggling offenders increased by 167%, and foreign drug offenders rose by 160.9% compared to 2018.

The number of drug offenders was 12,613 in 2018, 16,044 in 2019, 18,050 in 2020, 16,153 in 2021, and 18,395 last year. Drug offenders aged 30 and under surged by 109%, from 5,257 in 2018 to 10,988 last year.

By drug type, offenders of psychotropic drugs such as Philopon were the most numerous at 12,035. Marijuana offenders numbered 3,809, followed by 2,551 offenders of drugs such as opium poppy and cocaine.

The amount of drugs seized last year was 804.5 kg, of which psychotropic drugs such as Philopon accounted for 616.2 kg, or 76.6% of the total seized drugs. In particular, the amount of Yaba, which means "crazy drug" in Thai, increased by 1,871% from 8.5 kg in 2018 to 167.6 kg last year, and MDMA, known as Ecstasy, surged by 1,406%.

The prosecution analyzes that the rapid increase in related offenders is due to the distribution of drugs via the internet, including the so-called 'dark web,' which requires a special web browser to access. The prosecution explained that drug sales advertisements are posted on social networking services (SNS) or the dark web, and when buyers appear, payments are made with virtual currency, followed by transactions using a 'throwing' method. Internet drug distribution organizations operate in a cell-like structure with roles divided among the general manager, manager, and dropper, making tracking and arrest difficult.

The distribution of drugs into Korea by foreigners is also cited as a reason for the surge in drug offenders. Although foreigners account for 14% of all drug offenders, they make up about 40% of smuggling offenders.

In fact, many large-scale drug crime cases uncovered by the prosecution last year involved foreigners. A wealthy marijuana distribution and smoking case involving second- and third-generation chaebols and children of high-ranking officials received marijuana supplies through Korean Americans. The main culprit of the largest smuggling case ever, involving about 902 kg of Philopon smuggled from Mexico and 498 kg of it re-smuggled to Australia, was a foreigner with Australian nationality. Additionally, illegal immigrants led a case involving the smuggling of drugs worth 4.32 billion KRW, including Yaba, Philopon, ketamine, and MDMA.

On the other hand, the number of drug use offenders last year was 8,489, a 3.8% decrease compared to 2021. However, the prosecution explained that the slight decrease in drug use offenders last year does not necessarily indicate an overall reduction in drug use.

A representative from the Supreme Prosecutors' Office said, "Since the second half of last year, large-scale crackdowns by the police have been conducted, and the number of drug use offenders increased in the first quarter of this year. Supply is increasing, so drug use cannot be expected to decrease."

To respond to internet drug distribution crimes, the prosecution plans to monitor and detect drug sales advertisements 24/7 using the ‘e-Drug Monitor,’ which automatically detects drug-related keywords, securing investigative leads on internet drug distribution and blocking advertisements.

Furthermore, to preemptively block smuggling crimes by foreigners, the prosecution plans to dispatch drug-specialized investigators to major drug-exporting countries and strengthen cooperation with overseas investigative authorities to prevent the inflow of drugs into Korea.

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