This Year’s Drug Offenders Hit Record High Again... Nearly 40% Increase Compared to Last Year

National Police Agency Announces Results of Intensive Crackdown on Drug Crimes in the Second Half of the Year

This year, the number of drug offenders caught by the police has once again reached an all-time high, following last year's record. The number of drug offenders apprehended during the four-month intensive crackdown in the second half of the year also increased significantly compared to the same period last year.

The National Police Agency announced on the 18th that, as a result of the 'Second Half Year Intensive Crackdown on Drug Crimes' conducted over four months since last August, 5,523 drug offenders were arrested, of whom 836 were detained. This intensive crackdown targeted △ drug manufacturing and smuggling supply activities △ organized drug distribution by criminal groups △ drug crimes in clubs and entertainment establishments △ drug crimes using the internet (dark web) and virtual assets △ drug crimes involving foreigners.

Looking at the results of the intensive crackdown, the number of arrests increased by 33.6% compared to the same period last year (4,133 people), and the number of detentions also rose by 31.0%. The total number of drug offenders arrested up to last month reached 17,152, which is 38.5% higher than last year's total arrests of 12,387, which was the highest ever recorded.

Following the 'Gangnam Drug Beverage Threat Incident' in April, the police declared an all-out war on drug crimes and formed a joint task force (TF) for crackdowns. As a result, during the intensive crackdown in the first half of this year, 10,316 offenders were arrested and 1,543 detained.

When classifying drug offenders by type, supply offenders numbered 2,379, marking a 113.0% increase compared to the same period last year. By age group, the proportion of young people in their teens to 30s (67.6%, 3,735 people) is increasing due to the activation of online transactions through social networking services (SNS), the dark web, and overseas direct purchases. In particular, arrests of teenagers surged by 428.8%.

The number of drug offenders caught in clubs during this crackdown period alone was 219, and by November, it reached 672. This is 3.6 times higher compared to 2019, when statistics on club drug offenses began to be compiled. Specifically, the locations were clubs (38.8%), karaoke rooms (31.2%), and entertainment establishments (23.7%).

Regarding internet drug offenses, 1,911 people were arrested during the crackdown period, a 60.7% increase compared to the same period last year (1,146 people). Notably, arrests involving highly secure SNS, dark web, and virtual assets also increased by 40.1% to 619 people.

Drug offenses involving foreigners are also on the rise. The police arrested a total of 715 offenders, accounting for 12.9% of all arrests, which is a 5.9% increase compared to the same period last year. Many cases of drug distribution and use among foreigners were detected in communities around areas densely populated by foreigners. By nationality, the numbers were China (235 people, 32.9%), Thailand (216 people, 30.2%), and Vietnam (170 people, 23.8%), in that order.

Additionally, since April, the police have formed a 'Joint Tracking Team for Overseas Fugitives' and have taken proactive measures such as local arrests and repatriations, bringing back 25 drug offenders to Korea by last month. They also seized large quantities of drugs, including 21.7 kg of methamphetamine, 23,573 poppy plants, and 3.7 kg of ketamine, preemptively blocking domestic distribution. Furthermore, 170 million KRW in criminal proceeds were confiscated, and pre-prosecution seizure and confiscation preservation measures were taken for 50 cases amounting to 890 million KRW, fostering an active atmosphere for recovering criminal proceeds.

A National Police Agency official stated, “We plan to continue strong crackdowns until the end of the year to maintain a year-round intensive enforcement system. Through cooperation with related agencies, we will also focus on prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation to ensure that drug crimes are eradicated from our society.”

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