Customs Service Intensifies Efforts to Block Drug Smuggling with Underwater Drone Pilot Introduction

The Korea Customs Service is making every effort to block drug smuggling by expanding advanced equipment, including the pilot introduction of underwater drones.

On the 18th, the Korea Customs Service announced that it recently held the "4th Special Task Force Meeting on Drug Smuggling Countermeasures" in Daejeon, chaired by Deputy Commissioner Lee Myung-gu.

Lee Myung-gu, Deputy Commissioner of the Korea Customs Service (fifth from the left in the front row), is taking a commemorative photo with attendees after presiding over the recent "Special Task Force Meeting on Drug Smuggling Countermeasures." Photo by Korea Customs Service

The task force has been active since October last year to focus on eradicating drug smuggling. Led by the Deputy Commissioner of the Korea Customs Service, it serves as a control tower for drug enforcement, encompassing the headquarters and customs offices nationwide.

The meeting was organized to review the progress of drug smuggling enforcement measures over the past year since the task force’s launch and to discuss areas for improvement.

At the meeting, the Korea Customs Service decided to expand comprehensive inspections of flights from high-risk countries to eradicate traveler drug smuggling, increase the rate of active opening inspections and destruction tests of suspicious cargo, deploy millimeter-wave body scanners at customs offices in airports and ports nationwide by next month, and further expand advanced equipment such as thermal cameras next year.

In particular, to block the recent increase in large-scale maritime drug smuggling, underwater drones will be piloted next month to verify their effectiveness, followed by additional deployment to strengthen underwater surveillance capabilities, including under the hull of vessels.

From October last year to this month, the Korea Customs Service operated an intensive inspection period to crack down on drug smuggling methods involving concealment inside ships and containers. To prevent a balloon effect caused by strengthened inspections at Incheon Airport, the level of traveler inspections at regional international airports has been raised to the level of Incheon Airport Customs, and a nationwide airport customs council has been upgraded to the agency head level to establish a system for sharing information.

Deputy Commissioner Lee said, “In line with the government’s national policy direction (realizing a society safe from crime), we will respond swiftly to new methods used by drug organizations. The Korea Customs Service is determined to leave no gaps in drug smuggling enforcement and will maintain constant vigilance at airports and ports nationwide to establish a flawless drug smuggling enforcement network.”