Once a Drug-Free Nation... Will Drug Crimes Increase?

Increase in Violent Crimes Due to Drug Cases, Surge in Drug Distribution Volume
Easy Access with Shift to Non-Face-to-Face and Online Transactions... Rise in Teenage Drug Crimes
Experts "Crackdown on Suppliers Distributing and Selling... Efforts Needed to Restore Drug-Free Nation"

Drug-related crimes are increasing in our country, which was once known as a drug-free nation. The photo is not related to the specific content of the article. [Image source=Pixabay]

[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Lee Gyehwa] Our society, once a drug-free country, is now becoming a drug-consuming nation. As drug distribution expands through non-face-to-face transactions, it is infiltrating the daily lives of ordinary people and adolescents. Experts suggest that efforts are needed to crack down on suppliers who distribute and sell drugs and to restore the country as a drug-free nation.

Recently, violent crimes related to drug incidents have been increasing. The United Nations (UN) designates a country as drug-free when the number of drug offenders is less than 20 per 100,000 people. However, as of 2016, South Korea had 25.2 offenders per 100,000 people, having long since lost its drug-free status. According to the Supreme Prosecutors' Office, the number of drug offenders detected was 16,044 in 2019, and 18,050 and 16,153 in 2020 and 2021, respectively. In the first half of this year, 8,575 domestic drug offenders were arrested.

As drug-related cases increase, the volume of drug distribution is also surging. On the 26th of last month, the police arrested composer and singer Don Spike (45, Kim Minsu) at a hotel in Gangnam on charges of violating the Narcotics Control Act and seized 30 grams of methamphetamine he possessed. Considering that a single dose of methamphetamine is 0.03 grams, this amounts to about 1,000 doses.

Additionally, on the 28th of last month, the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency's Narcotics Crime Investigation Unit seized 2.9 kilograms of methamphetamine worth approximately 9.7 billion KRW while arresting nine individuals suspected of violating the Narcotics Control Act. This quantity is enough for 97,000 simultaneous doses.

The increase in drug crimes and distribution volume is attributed to the shift to non-face-to-face distribution structures, making access easier. Previously, buyers and sellers met directly in underground markets, and purchase prices were higher. However, after the COVID-19 pandemic, non-face-to-face transactions expanded, and the distribution structure shifted to a low-margin, high-volume model, lowering prices. This is believed to be due to group purchases using social networking services (SNS) like Telegram, which has servers overseas, and the dark web (websites accessible only through specific programs).

Cryptocurrency payment methods also facilitate drug transactions. This method leaves no transaction traces, reducing the risk of being tracked by investigative agencies. Furthermore, with the development of direct international shipping logistics such as overseas direct purchases, drugs are easily brought in via international mail and express cargo, and transactions occur through so-called "throw-and-go" methods (where sellers leave drugs at specific locations for buyers to pick up), making detection difficult.

Another issue is the lowering age group involved in drug transactions. According to prosecution statistics, last year, the number of teenage drug offenders reached a record high of 450. Additionally, drug offenders in their 20s numbered 5,077, accounting for the largest proportion of 31.4% among all age groups.

The increase in teenage drug offenders is closely related to their internet and SNS usage skills. As drug transactions have shifted to online non-face-to-face methods, access to drugs has become easier for teenagers familiar with digital environments and cyberspace such as the dark web and deep web (websites not searchable by general search engines). High-profile drug cases involving famous celebrities have sparked curiosity, and once started, it becomes difficult to escape addiction.

As drug-related cases increase, the distribution volume of drugs is also rising sharply. The photo is not related to the specific content of the article. [Image source=Yonhap News]

As drug incidents have emerged as a social problem, the police are also going all out in a full-scale war against drugs. In August, right after his inauguration, Police Commissioner Yoon Hee-geun stated, "We will reassure the public through focused crackdowns on drug offenders." He added, "Drugs are easily distributed through SNS and virtual assets, exposing even adolescents defenselessly," and emphasized, "We are preparing comprehensive measures linking prevention to treatment by forming a joint task force."

Experts stress the need to crack down on distributors who supply drugs in large quantities. Professor Seol Dong-hoon of the Department of Sociology at Jeonbuk National University suggested, "It is important to detect major suppliers who smuggle, manufacture, distribute, and sell drugs directly."

Professor Seol said, "Rather than a sudden increase in drug consumption, it seems that demand has been created because large-scale supply has lowered prices and made drugs easier to obtain," adding, "Efforts are needed to restore the country closer to a drug-free status."