Korea Customs Service Launches 'Special Task Force for Drug Smuggling'... "Strong Response to Drug Smuggling"

The Korea Customs Service has launched and is operating a special task force for drug smuggling (hereinafter referred to as the Task Force). The Task Force will serve as a control tower for drug enforcement, encompassing the headquarters and customs-related organizations nationwide.

Koh Kwang-hyo, Commissioner of the Korea Customs Service (second from the left), is explaining the purpose of operating the 'Special Task Force for Drug Smuggling Countermeasures' at the Korea Customs Service narcotics officials meeting on the 24th. Photo by Korea Customs Service

On the 24th, the Korea Customs Service announced that it held a "National Customs Drug Officials Meeting" chaired by the Commissioner at Seoul Customs.

At the meeting, the Korea Customs Service shared and reviewed past drug smuggling enforcement results and trends, and decided to launch and operate the Task Force to enhance the effectiveness of future drug smuggling crackdowns.

The Task Force will first establish a comprehensive and organic enforcement system that covers the Korea Customs Service headquarters and customs-related organizations nationwide.

The core objective is to overcome the structural limitations caused by the division of duties such as customs clearance and investigation, and to concentrate drug smuggling enforcement capabilities centered on the Task Force.

Provided by Korea Customs Service

The main measures to be implemented through the Task Force by the Korea Customs Service are summarized as ▲eradication of drug smuggling by travelers ▲expansion of destructive inspections ▲strengthening of international cooperation.

First, the Task Force plans to more than double the inspection rate of travelers by expanding comprehensive inspections of in-flight (hand-carried) baggage, maintaining an inspection rate higher than the pre-COVID-19 pandemic level.

Additionally, the Task Force plans to reduce blind spots for drug smuggling by expanding the installation of full-body scanners at airports to detect body concealment.

To respond to sophisticated concealment methods such as evading X-ray inspections, the Task Force will expand the opening inspections of cargo suspected of hiding narcotics and significantly increase the rate of destructive and dismantling inspections.

In particular, the Task Force plans to expand the scope of international cooperation to major drug supply countries such as ASEAN and Vietnam, extending overseas drug enforcement bases and enhancing the effectiveness of drug enforcement through international cooperation.

Commissioner Ko Gwang-hyo of the Korea Customs Service expressed a strong determination to eradicate drug smuggling, stating, "The Korea Customs Service bears a heavy responsibility to restore South Korea’s status as a ‘drug-free country’ and intends to implement extraordinary measures to eradicate drug smuggling."

He added, "Enhanced customs measures may lead to delays in customs clearance of postal and express shipments and inconveniences upon entry. However, this is a process for South Korea to become a safe country free from drugs, and we ask for the public’s cooperation."

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