Police Conduct Search and Seizure of Customs Officer Suspected of Assisting Drug Smuggling

The police are conducting searches and seizures on customs officers suspected of assisting in drug smuggling for an international drug syndicate composed of Koreans, Malaysians, and Chinese, and are analyzing related materials.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

On the 14th, the Yeongdeungpo Police Station in Seoul announced that they have executed all search warrants related to CCTV footage, on-site inspections, mobile phones, and communications for four customs officers at Incheon Airport who are suspected of violating the Act on the Aggravated Punishment, etc. of Specific Crimes, the Narcotics Control Act, and obstruction of business, and are currently analyzing the returned materials. The police plan to reapply for warrants on their financial accounts through supplementary investigations after the prosecution rejected them at the end of last month.

The customs officers are suspected of helping a Malaysian member of the multinational drug syndicate, who smuggled drugs by attaching them to their body and illegally entering the country in January, to evade airport security checks. The police are conducting investigations on the customs officers based on statements from the arrested Malaysian syndicate members indicating "there was help from customs officers."

Earlier, to identify the customs officers, the police obtained communication warrants for some customs officers during the pre-investigation (internal inquiry) stage before formal charges and conducted investigations. They also searched Incheon Airport twice to secure basic data such as the list of customs personnel. Additionally, the police conducted three on-site inspections at Incheon Airport with the arrested drug smugglers and identified the officers. The suspects reportedly all pointed to the same officers at the scene.

The customs officers, who deny the charges, are reportedly uncooperative with the investigation. The seized mobile phones were not unlocked as the officers did not provide passwords, so the police have begun forensic analysis. The CCTV footage at the site only retains records for about one month, so it is uncertain whether any data remains even after forensic analysis. The Incheon Airport Customs stated, "Based on our own judgment, we believe the possibility of employee involvement is significantly low."

Previously, the police arrested 26 members of the multinational drug syndicate on charges of organizing a criminal group and violating the Act on the Aggravated Punishment, etc. of Specific Crimes, and sent 14 of them to prosecution in custody. The syndicate consists of Koreans, Chinese, and Malaysians and is suspected of smuggling 74 kg of methamphetamine into the country, an amount sufficient for approximately 2.46 million doses. The police have seized 27.8 kg of this and are tracking the methamphetamine distributed in the market as well as key figures including the head of the Korean faction.

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