213,000 Cases of Illegal Agricultural Imports Detected Last Year: "Criminal Penalties for Illegal Imports During Chuseok Holiday"

The Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency announced on September 29 that it is conducting thorough investigations and taking strict actions against violations, centering on the newly established Metropolitan Investigation Team, which was launched in 2025, in response to the increasing illegal entry of prohibited imported goods such as fresh fruits from Southeast Asia and the rise of organized and sophisticated crimes.

According to the Quarantine Agency, the recent increase in the number of foreign residents in Korea has led to a surge in demand for locally sourced fruits that are banned from import, resulting in high prices on the domestic black market. Consequently, illegal imports through express delivery and personal carrying have risen from 79,000 cases in 2021 to 213,000 cases in 2024.

Photo of on-site seizure of border quarantine (portable) and distribution of prohibited imported goods. (Photo by Quarantine Headquarters)

In response, the Quarantine Agency strengthened border quarantine measures from May 19 to July 18 this year, targeting the peak season for fresh fruits from Southeast Asia, and cracked down on illegal imports and distribution conducted online. The Metropolitan Investigation Team mobilized judicial interpreters and honorary monitors (naturalized citizens) to secure evidence of real-time sales in local languages on social media platforms. At the same time, they executed search and seizure warrants on mobile phones, financial accounts, and sales outlets to obtain records of illegal transactions, fully mobilizing their investigative capabilities.

Through these efforts, the Quarantine Agency uncovered and booked 23 cases (26 individuals) of organized and habitual illegal importers, referred 14 cases (14 individuals) to the prosecution, and executed five cases of compulsory investigation (search and seizure warrants). Additionally, they confiscated 1,361 kilograms of fresh fruits from Vietnam and Thailand, as well as 347 kilograms of illegally imported fresh fruits stored prior to distribution.

Notably, during this investigation, the agency identified 18 small-scale traders (so-called "suitcase traders") who formed groups of three to five people to repeatedly and systematically smuggle prohibited items by carrying them personally and selling fresh fruits in real time via social media. These groups paid fines collectively rather than individually and used members without prior penalty records to carry others' bags (a method known as "throwing"), systematically engaging in illegal imports. The Metropolitan Investigation Team, aiming to eradicate such illegal practices and strictly respond to habitual and organized illegal importers, charged them not with simple failure to declare personal items but with attempted illegal importation of prohibited goods, referring them to the prosecution with a recommendation for indictment instead of imposing fines.

Going forward, the Quarantine Agency plans to continue its special investigations into illegal imports of Chinese apple pears (pear varieties), pet insects, and other items, utilizing the Metropolitan Investigation Team and special judicial police nationwide. Habitual offenders will be punished according to a zero-tolerance policy.

Furthermore, travelers returning from overseas during the upcoming Chuseok holiday must report any agricultural or livestock products they carry to the quarantine authorities. Special caution is advised, as illegal importation of prohibited items can result in criminal penalties.

Kim Jeonghee, head of the Quarantine Agency, stated, "In a situation where climate change is altering the agricultural ecosystem, the entry of prohibited items such as unquarantined fresh fruits can directly lead to agricultural damage from the introduction of foreign pests and diseases. We will continue to strengthen border quarantine and investigations to protect domestic agriculture and respond strictly to habitual violations of the law."

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