"Concerns Over Drug Smuggling from Mexico" Strengthened Inspections and Crackdowns Including Comprehensive Testing

The Korea Customs Service is strengthening crackdowns amid concerns over increased drug smuggling from Mexico.

On the 7th, the Korea Customs Service announced that under the direction of Commissioner Ko Gwang-hyo, it will conduct thorough inspections of passengers arriving on flights originating from Mexico to crack down on drug smuggling.

The crackdown is being intensified due to concerns that drug smuggling through incoming travelers will increase following the resumption of direct flights between Korea and Mexico (Mexico City-Monterrey-Incheon) after two years. The direct route was suspended in June 2022 due to issues with Russian airspace passage and the impact of COVID-19, but resumed on the 3rd of this month. Aero Mexico operates this route once daily (7 times a week).

According to the "World Drug Report 2024" released by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, Mexico is recognized as one of the world's largest manufacturers of methamphetamine.

In particular, the price of Mexican methamphetamine is significantly lower than in Korea, raising concerns that local drug organizations will increasingly attempt to smuggle methamphetamine into Korea. Additionally, the Korea Customs Service has assessed that the risk of methamphetamine smuggling from Mexico has increased as recent evidence shows many U.S. methamphetamine producers relocating to Mexico.

In the early morning of the same day, Commissioner Ko visited Incheon International Airport during the arrival time of travelers from Mexico to personally inspect the arrival routes and customs inspection procedures for the route, while ordering on-site drug enforcement officers to strengthen drug smuggling crackdowns.

The Korea Customs Service has also formed a dedicated task force (TF) to respond to the risk of drug smuggling from Mexico. The TF operates within Incheon Airport Customs, conducting thorough inspections of travelers arriving from Mexico to Korea using advanced enforcement equipment such as millimeter-wave body scanners and thermal cameras. Additionally, it strengthens pre-information analysis on high-risk travelers and on-site monitoring.

Commissioner Ko stated, “The Korea Customs Service will focus its institutional capabilities on drug enforcement to help Korea regain its status as a ‘drug-free country.’ Although enhanced customs inspections may cause some inconvenience such as delays for travelers passing through the arrival hall, we ask for the public’s active cooperation with customs inspections as this is for the protection of public health and social safety.”

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