Mid-Year Drug Smuggling Crackdown Trends
Increase in Cases Detected, Decrease in Weight
Cocaine Up 372% Compared to Previous Year
Most Common Smuggling Method: 'International Mail'
Despite the government's continuous crackdown on drugs, attempts to smuggle drugs persist. In the first half of this year, the amount of drugs seized at border checkpoints averaged 2 cases and 1.6 kg per day. Notably, there has been an increase in small-quantity drug smuggling intended for personal consumption. In particular, the steady rise in drugs smuggled from Southeast Asian countries has led the Korea Customs Service to strengthen joint crackdowns with the international community.
The Korea Customs Service announced the "2024 First Half Drug Smuggling Crackdown Trends" on the 17th, which included these details. A total of 362 drug smuggling cases weighing 298 kg were seized at border checkpoints in the first half of this year.
Compared to the first half of last year, the number of cases increased by 11%, while the weight decreased by 10%. The increase in the number of cases is attributed to a rise in small-quantity (10g or less) drug smuggling, which also led to more detections. Conversely, the decrease in seized weight is explained by the Korea Customs Service as a result of a slight decline in large-scale smuggling (measured in kilograms).
Drug smuggling was mainly attempted through international mail (191 cases), express cargo (86 cases), travelers (82 cases), and general cargo (3 cases) in terms of the number of cases. In terms of weight, it was primarily through express cargo (114 kg), international mail (100 kg), travelers (56 kg), and general cargo (28 kg).
Compared to the first half of last year, the number of drug smuggling cases detected via international mail increased by 28%, while the seized weight decreased by 40%, which is a notable point. This is attributed to an increase in small-quantity drug smuggling presumed to be for personal consumption. In fact, cases of smuggling drugs weighing 10g or less via international mail rose from 11 cases in the first half of last year to 21 cases in the first half of this year, an increase of 10 cases.
In the case of drug smuggling using express cargo, the number of detections decreased, but the seized weight increased. The number of cases involving 1 kg or more of drugs seized via express cargo was 22 cases weighing 67 kg in the first half of last year, and 19 cases weighing 101 kg in the first half of this year. While the number of cases decreased by 7%, the seized weight increased by 33%. This reflects an increase in large-scale smuggling of 1 kg or more using express cargo.
Drug smuggling through travelers showed a slight increase in the number of cases from 12 to 16, while the seized weight decreased by 16% (from 59 kg to 48 kg). The Korea Customs Service analyzed that this was also due to a decrease in large-scale smuggling of 1 kg or more through travelers.
The main drug types seized at border checkpoints in the first half of this year were ▲Philopon (154 kg, 75 cases) ▲Cannabis (30 kg, 100 cases) ▲Cocaine (29 kg, 4 cases) ▲MDMA (commonly known as club drugs, 16 kg, 40 cases). Compared to the first half of last year, Philopon increased by 10%, Cocaine by 372%, and MDMA by 35% in terms of seized weight. Conversely, Cannabis decreased by 64%.
The Korea Customs Service analyzed that the increase in Philopon smuggling is due to steady domestic demand and the fact that Philopon is traded at a relatively higher price in Korea compared to other countries, which encourages international drug crime organizations to continue smuggling attempts. In fact, the transaction price per gram of Philopon in Korea is $450, more than 10 times higher than $44 in the United States and $13 in Thailand.
The main countries of origin for the seized drugs were ▲Thailand (76 kg, 62 cases) ▲United States (60 kg, 81 cases) ▲Mexico (29 kg, 2 cases) ▲Malaysia (23 kg, 11 cases) ▲Vietnam (16 kg, 52 cases) ▲Germany (14 kg, 23 cases). More than half of the drugs brought into the country originated from Southeast Asian countries, with the United States closely following.
Among Southeast Asian countries, Thailand and Vietnam saw a decrease in seized weight in the first half of this year compared to the first half of last year. However, the weight of drugs seized from smuggling attempts originating in Malaysia increased significantly by 112%. The Korea Customs Service explained that this was the result of focusing crackdowns on air travelers from Malaysia following the identification of a trend where international drug crime organizations that had been active in Thailand and Vietnam recently moved their base to Malaysia.
Han Chang-ryeong, Director of the Investigation Bureau at the Korea Customs Service, said, "Although we continue high-intensity crackdowns to eradicate drug crimes, drug smuggling is still on the rise. The Korea Customs Service will enhance its internal drug crackdown system and focus its institutional capabilities on rapid response through joint crackdowns with the international community to block drugs at their source countries."
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