Drug Manufacturing and Distribution Gang Nationwide Arrested and Sent to Prosecution... Over 90,000 Doses of Drugs Seized

A group involved in manufacturing and distributing drugs across the country has been handed over to the prosecution while in custody. The police searched about 300 locations where drugs were hidden and seized an amount of drugs sufficient for approximately 90,000 doses.

On the 6th, the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency's Vice Crime Investigation Team announced that they had arrested and sent to prosecution seven individuals in their 30s, including a man identified as A, on charges of manufacturing and distributing drugs (violation of the Narcotics Control Act). A man in his 20s, B, who sold drugs, is currently detained in custody. The police also plan to request an arrest warrant for C, a man in his 30s who is both the owner of a prostitution establishment and a drug dealer.

They are accused of trading drugs via the social networking service (SNS) Telegram and distributing drugs in the Seoul, Busan, and Ulsan areas through a method called "throwing" (where the seller hides the drugs at an agreed location for the buyer to pick up). A and B were active as certified dealers on a well-known Telegram drug sales channel, and A was found to have directly manufactured drugs. Certified dealers played a leading role by building distribution networks online, assigning roles such as warehouse keeper and courier to close acquaintances like friends and lovers, and directly contacting and selling to drug buyers.

The police searched approximately 300 locations nationwide where drugs were hidden based on Telegram content and seized drugs sufficient for about 90,000 doses. This amount is valued at approximately 1 billion KRW. Additionally, to block the proceeds from drug sales, the police preemptively seized 47 million KRW in criminal proceeds before indictment and plan to apply for pre-indictment confiscation of virtual currency worth about 200 million KRW that was also seized.

This investigation began based on clues discovered during a crackdown on prostitution establishments. On April 18, during a raid on a prostitution establishment located on Seolleung-ro in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, the police found evidence of drug transactions on Telegram. Based on this, they arrested drug couriers in early May and, through analysis of closed-circuit television (CCTV) and surrounding inquiries, arrested 13 individuals involved in drug manufacturing, sales, warehouse keeping, and courier roles by the end of last month. Four others, including D, a man in his 30s who worked as an employee at a prostitution establishment and used drugs, were also booked on charges of violating the Narcotics Control Act.

A police official stated, "We have meticulously analyzed the evidence obtained so far and continuously tracked and arrested unidentified accomplices and drug users," adding, "We will devote all efforts to preventing the indiscriminate spread of narcotics in everyday life."

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