Man Detained at Airport Reveals 'Hidden' Reason for Wearing Women's Items

Drug Smuggling Gang Caught Hiding Narcotics in Sanitary Pads
5 Billion Won Worth of Philopon Smuggled into the Country

A group attempting to smuggle methamphetamine worth around 500 million won hidden in sanitary pads from overseas countries such as Thailand and the Philippines into South Korea was caught by the prosecution.

The Violent Crime Investigation Division of the Incheon District Prosecutors' Office announced on the 3rd that nine people, including A (43), the local sender in Thailand, were arrested and indicted on charges of violating the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes, including stimulant drugs, and that B (38), the courier, was indicted without detention.

A and his accomplices are accused of smuggling a total of 1.75 kg of methamphetamine into South Korea through Incheon International Airport in nine shipments from Thailand and the Philippines between June and July of last year. The 1.75 kg from the Philippines is enough for 58,000 simultaneous doses, and its retail value is reported to be about 520 million won.

A man known as the so-called 'Jigegun' who smuggled drugs hidden in sanitary pads. [Image source=Incheon District Prosecutors' Office]

According to the prosecution's investigation, A and others obtained methamphetamine locally in Thailand and the Philippines, and others concealed the drugs to smuggle them into South Korea. They boarded passenger planes carrying methamphetamine hidden in sanitary pads worn inside their underwear and, after entering the country, divided the methamphetamine into smaller amounts and passed it to other accomplices. Of the methamphetamine smuggled from Thailand, 0.6 kg was handed over to distributors in the Seoul area, and most of the 1.15 kg secretly brought in from the Philippines was delivered to distributors around Busan and Gimhae.

A and his group also showed careful planning by recruiting couriers through Telegram, a closed social networking service (SNS), and operating a cell-structured smuggling and distribution network.

On July 31 of last year, the prosecution first caught courier C (42), who entered from the Philippines carrying 0.2 kg of methamphetamine hidden in a sanitary pad. They then conducted digital forensics on his mobile phone and analyzed account transaction records, successfully arresting the accomplices.

They also identified the local sender in the Philippines, obtained an arrest warrant, and requested a red notice from Interpol. The prosecution plans to actively cooperate with the Philippine local investigative authorities to expedite the repatriation of the Philippine drug sender.

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