Two drug traffickers in their 30s who distributed narcotics using the so-called "throwing method" have been caught by customs authorities.
On July 14, the Gwangju Main Customs Office of the Korea Customs Service announced that it had arrested and recently referred to prosecution suspects A (39) and B (32) on charges of violating the Act on the Control of Narcotics (smuggling).
They were apprehended on suspicion of smuggling 1 kilogram of cannabis and 700 grams of methamphetamine from Thailand.
Previously, in March, Gwangju Customs detected cannabis (490g and 501g each) concealed in green tea containers in international mail from Thailand. After conducting a controlled delivery, they arrested the main suspect, A, on the spot as he received the package.
Controlled delivery is a narcotics investigation technique in which authorities do not seize the contraband at the initial discovery, but instead monitor its distribution and apprehend suspects at the final stage of distribution.
After apprehending A, Gwangju Customs searched his residence and found additional tools used for repackaging cannabis, such as a precision scale, small plastic bags, and tape.
Through interrogation, authorities further confirmed that in January of this year, A had personally smuggled 700 grams of methamphetamine from Thailand and distributed it domestically, and also identified his accomplice, B.
Based on A's statement, Gwangju Customs urgently arrested B near his residence. At B's home, they seized an additional 22.16 grams of ketamine and 1.1 grams of methamphetamine that were being stored. According to Gwangju Customs, B kept ketamine and other drugs at his residence with the intent to distribute them using the throwing method.
Investigations revealed that A and B were lured by a Thai drug supplier's proposal in an anonymous Telegram chatroom, which claimed that smuggling narcotics could easily earn them large sums of money. As a result, they became involved in smuggling cannabis and methamphetamine.
In fact, between January and March, they distributed a total of 592 grams of narcotics, including methamphetamine and cannabis, in about 350 separate instances. The drugs were distributed using the throwing method at mailboxes, flower beds, and hiking trails in residential areas of Seoul, Incheon, and other locations. Payment for the drugs was made using virtual assets, making it difficult to trace.
The throwing method is a transaction technique in which the drug dealer does not deliver the drugs directly to the buyer, but instead hides them at a designated location and informs the buyer where to find them. This method is mainly used for covert drug transactions.
In particular, investigations found that B had even purchased a ticket for a flight to Thailand departing at the end of March with the intention of smuggling narcotics directly from Thailand. However, he was apprehended before committing the crime, so no further offenses were carried out.
An official from Gwangju Customs stated, "This case is a typical example of individuals succumbing to financial temptation through social media and becoming involved in drug smuggling and distribution. We urge the public to be especially cautious not to be drawn into drug crimes by financial temptation, as those involved, like A and B, will ultimately be detected by law enforcement and punished."
Meanwhile, there was a recent case in which a person in their 20s, lured by advertisements for "high-paying part-time jobs" on Telegram, attempted to smuggle and distribute narcotics, was apprehended, and was sentenced to three years in prison in the first trial last month.
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