100 People Caught for Drug Dealing on SNS... 24 Arrested

Seoul Police Agency Conducts Intensive Crackdown on Cyber Drug Crimes for 7 Months

The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency announced on the 14th that, as a result of installing a dedicated TF team for cyber drug crimes and conducting intensive crackdowns over seven months since April this year, they arrested 100 cyber drug offenders, among whom 24 were detained.

This intensive crackdown targeted △the creation, management, and operation of drug distribution sites on the internet (including the dark web) △posting sales advertisements, sellers and buyers involved in transactions, and acts of drug use and possession △posting and distribution of drug manufacturing methods on domestic and international SNS △drug delivery and criminal proceeds money laundering (virtual asset laundering) activities.

The police, in cooperation with the National Intelligence Service and Incheon Customs, booked a total of 100 suspects involved in drug smuggling, sales, distribution, and use via SNS under the Narcotics Control Act. Among them, 24 were detained, including the mastermind operating the Telegram channel for drug promotion and sales, as well as suspects involved in drug smuggling and sales. By nationality, 69 were Korean, and 31 were foreigners from Central and Southeast Asia.

The police seized 4.5 kg of seven types of drugs including methamphetamine, hashish, hashish oil, ketamine, ecstasy, LSD, and mephedrone (worth approximately 4.6 billion KRW) and 40 million KRW in criminal proceeds. Notably, they detected and seized the distribution of the new drug mephedrone domestically, and in the case of hashish, seized about 2 kg, the largest amount in a single case in the past three years.

Unlike the previous method where domestic drug sales organizations smuggled methamphetamine and others from China and Southeast Asia and distributed them using the "throwing" method, many indications of organized crimes using SNS such as Telegram were detected in this case.

Drug distribution channels. [Provided by Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency]

In fact, the mastermind of a Singapore drug sales organization infiltrated the country with other members of the same group, established a base around Seoul, opened a Telegram channel, and advertised and promoted various drugs such as jelly, cookies, modified marijuana in electronic cigarette form, and methamphetamine. They were caught distributing large quantities of drugs to their home country in connection with distribution members active in Singapore.

Drug sales organizations of foreigners from Russia and other Central Asian countries also opened Telegram channels in Cambodia and advertised rare domestic drugs such as hashish, the new drug mephedrone, and spice in Russian, selling and distributing them to Central Asians residing in Korea, including Russians and Uzbeks, before being caught.

A police official stated, “To respond to the changing non-face-to-face drug distribution methods, we will strengthen monitoring of drug distribution on the internet and SNS, and maintain continuous cooperation systems with domestic and international related agencies and organizations such as the National Intelligence Service and Incheon Airport Customs, while strictly responding to eradicate cyber drug crimes.”

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