Mass Arrests of Drug Dealers and Users Including Vietnamese Nationals

Vietnamese nationals involved in selling and using drugs were caught in large numbers at Vietnamese-only karaoke rooms and other locations in Daegu city.

The Daegu Metropolitan Police Agency's Metropolitan Investigation Unit announced on the 24th that they arrested a naturalized Vietnamese in his 20s, identified as A, and three Vietnamese nationals on charges of violating the Narcotics Control Act, and booked four others without detention.

A and others are suspected of selling or using drugs such as ecstasy and ketamine to Vietnamese people at Vietnamese-only karaoke rooms and other places in Daegu city from February to May.

The police received a tip in April about Vietnamese individuals using narcotics and launched an investigation. They seized ecstasy and ketamine worth approximately 160 million won from a refrigerator and other places in a one-room apartment contracted under the name of an acquaintance of A. It was found that they purchased drugs from customers they met through SNS or while operating karaoke rooms and sold the purchased drugs to fellow Vietnamese nationals.

A police official stated, “We plan to strengthen crackdowns on the covert distribution and use of drugs in foreigner-only clubs, entertainment, and lodging establishments.”