Drug Offenders Increase by 43.8%... Police Aim to Eradicate Organized Supply Networks

Intensive Crackdown from March to July
Medical Narcotics Offenders Double
Consideration of Applying Organized Crime Group Charges

The National Police Agency's National Investigation Headquarters announced on the 27th that it will intensively crack down on drug-related crimes during the first half of the year for five months starting from the 1st of next month.

The main targets for the crackdown are △ organized drug manufacturing, smuggling, and distribution crimes by criminal organizations △ distribution and use of medical drugs △ distribution and use crimes via the internet (dark web, social networks, etc.) and virtual assets △ distribution and use crimes within clubs or entertainment establishments.

According to the National Investigation Headquarters, the total number of drug offenders arrested last year was 17,817, an increase of 43.8% compared to the previous year and the highest in five years.

The number of drug offenders arrested showed an increasing trend for four consecutive years: 10,411 in 2019, 12,209 in 2020, 10,626 in 2021, 12,387 in 2022, and 17,817 in 2023. In particular, medical drug offenders last year increased sharply by 98% to 627 compared to the previous year.

The police plan to focus on cutting off supply chains by actively considering applying the crime of criminal organization from the early stages of investigation against offenders who distribute and sell drugs through organized groups using non-face-to-face methods.

Additionally, as medical drug offenders have recently surged, the police will collect intelligence through related agencies such as the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety and actively cooperate in joint inspections or investigation requests with related agencies.

To respond to increasingly sophisticated and diversified internet drug crimes, specialized investigation teams and virtual asset tracking programs will be utilized. For drug crimes occurring in clubs, karaoke rooms, and entertainment establishments, the police will actively consider applying charges for aiding and abetting by establishment personnel and providing venues.

The police also established a 'Cooperation Investigation Division' under the Narcotics Organized Crime Investigation Department of the Criminal Affairs Bureau this year to swiftly arrest and extradite drug offenders fleeing overseas.

A police official said, "We provide rewards for reporting drug crimes and thoroughly guarantee the identity of informants, so we ask citizens for active reporting."

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