‘Clerics and Academy Instructors’ Caught at Customs for Smuggling Drug Jelly and More

Smuggling of Narcotic-Containing Products via Overseas Direct Purchase
Disguised as Vitamins and Supplements... Narcotics Infiltrating Daily Life
"Full Effort to Block Narcotics Entry from Border Stage"

Clergymen and academy instructors who smuggled drug-infused jelly and other substances were caught by customs authorities.

The Gwangju Regional Customs Office of the Korea Customs Service announced on the 15th that they apprehended clergyman Mr. K (56) and American academy instructor Ms. M (female, 28), who smuggled narcotics disguised as vitamins and supplements from the United States, Vietnam, and other countries, on charges of violating the Narcotics Control Act, and referred them to the prosecution. They also issued a wanted notice for Korean-American Ms. C (female, 67) on the same charges.

Hemp chocolate containing hemp ingredients. Provided by Gwangju Regional Customs Office, Korea Customs Service

According to Gwangju Customs, Mr. K, who operated a healing center for cancer patients in Jeonbuk, conspired with Korean-American Ms. C to smuggle approximately 411g of cannabis products including cannabis cream, cannabis chocolate, cannabis jelly, and cannabis oil via international mail, disguising the shipments as coffee and vitamins.

Ms. M, who recently entered the country and worked as a native English instructor at an English academy in Gwangju, is also accused of smuggling 189g of cannabis jelly by placing it in supplement bottles and importing it through international courier services under the pretense of purchasing supplements.

The cannabis products they smuggled contain psychoactive substances, and the number of countries legalizing such products is increasing. Above all, since these products are distributed in forms such as jelly, chocolate, oil, and cream, which individuals can easily purchase through overseas direct purchase, there are concerns that narcotics smuggling will significantly increase domestically as well.

Investigation Team Leader Lee Gwang-ju of Gwangju Customs stated, “Once narcotics are brought in, they easily infiltrate daily life and spread.” He added, “Gwangju Customs will take the lead in thoroughly blocking the import of narcotics at the customs border stage to ensure the safety of the public and society.”