Government Cracks Down on 3,700 Drug Offenders and Seizes 2,700 kg of Narcotics in Three Months

Special Crackdown on Narcotics Planned for October and November

The government conducted a nationwide special crackdown on narcotics from April to June this year, apprehending 3,733 drug offenders and seizing 2,676.8 kg of narcotics.

On the morning of the 6th, a briefing was held in the large conference room of the Busan District Prosecutors' Office regarding the smuggling case of 600 kg of cocaine seized from containers on a ship that arrived at Busan New Port in May. The Busan District Prosecutors' Office and Busan Customs explained that this was the largest drug seizure in the history of Busan Port. Yonhap News

On the morning of the 13th, the government held a Narcotics Countermeasure Council meeting presided over by Yoon Changryeol, Minister for Government Policy Coordination, to discuss the achievements of the special crackdown in the first half of the year and the direction for the second half. The meeting was attended by vice-ministerial officials from 15 related agencies, including the Ministry of Justice, Supreme Prosecutors’ Office, National Police Agency, Korea Customs Service, Korea Coast Guard, Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, and Ministry of Health and Welfare, along with the Minister for Government Policy Coordination.

As a result of the nationwide joint special crackdown on narcotics from April to June, the government apprehended 3,733 drug offenders, detained 621 individuals, and seized 2,676.8 kg of narcotics. The special crackdown in the first half focused on three main areas: blocking overseas smuggling, suppressing domestic distribution, and preventing the misuse of medical narcotics.

The government will conduct another special crackdown in the second half of the year from October 1 to November 30, focusing on three main themes: blocking on-site distribution, eradicating distribution channels, and preventing smuggling. To block distribution, joint enforcement teams consisting of police, local governments, prosecutors, and the Ministry of Justice will be deployed to locations where drug use or frontline distribution is frequent, particularly during the Chuseok holiday and festival periods, targeting entertainment venues and other hotspots. The government also plans to intensify investigations into both online distribution channels, such as Telegram, and offline routes, including illegal prescriptions at medical institutions.

The Narcotics Countermeasure Council announced that it had completed 14 out of 15 key tasks for the first half of this year’s narcotics management action plan, and that 70 other tasks are progressing as planned. Major completed tasks include the establishment of an online drug investigation team (police) and the introduction of portable mobile forensic equipment and advanced evidence analysis programs (prosecution). Key initiatives planned for the second half include expanding underwater drone searches of ship hulls, establishing a shared information system for narcotics misuse, and increasing the training of prevention and rehabilitation specialists.

The government also agreed to reinforce the first Basic Plan and Action Plan for Narcotics Management for 2025-2029 in order to prevent narcotics from spreading as crimes affecting everyday life. The basic plan will introduce separate detailed strategies for blocking distribution, with a particular focus on cutting off routes through which narcotics reach the general public. In addition, from next year, the action plan will strengthen the “prevention and rehabilitation” component to help addicts avoid recidivism and reintegrate into society, and the government will also enhance the performance management system for the action plan.

Yoon Changryeol, Minister for Government Policy Coordination, stated, “It is very concerning that the proportion of people in their 20s and 30s, who are responsible for the future of our country, being exposed to drug crimes is increasing,” and added, “A whole-of-government effort is needed to prevent the spread of narcotics to the general public and to win the war against drugs.”