'Business-Type' Drug Syndicate Operated 24/7 Online
2,000 'Drop' Locations Nationwide, 6 Billion Won in Profits Estimated
International Cooperation Leads to Interpol Red Notice for Overseas Smugglers
Police Vow to Eradicate Online Drug Market with Buyer List and Asset Tracking
A large-scale organization that established a nationwide drug distribution network based on the online messenger 'Telegram' has been dismantled by the police.
Going beyond simple criminal activity, this group operated 24/7 and divided roles just like a business, revealing the true nature of drug crimes in the digital age and causing a significant stir.
◆ 'Business-Type' Crime Organization,
Online Operations Year-Round The Daegu Police Agency's Criminal Investigation Unit announced on September 4 that it had arrested 57 individuals, including 6 ringleaders who operated three Telegram channels to distribute drugs, and detained 17 of them. The police applied the charge of organizing a criminal group (Article 114 of the Criminal Act) to expose the organized nature of the crimes.
The ringleaders, using officetels as their base, set up a two-shift work system and meticulously divided responsibilities, including ▲office operations ▲drug purchasing and sales ▲courier management ▲payment processing control ▲and customer management. According to suspect statements, their operations were so thoroughly contactless and based on virtual assets that they described it as "doing business just by typing on a keyboard."
◆ 2,000 'Drop' Hiding Spots Nationwide ... Estimated 6 Billion Won in Profits
The organization thoroughly trained couriers, recruited with the lure of high profits, to hide drugs at over 2,000 locations across the country. When a buyer paid in virtual assets, they would be given the coordinates of the hiding spot, creating a 'drop method' structure that allowed easy access for anyone.
The police conducted searches of the suspects' residences and hiding places, seizing ▲5 kg of methamphetamine ▲6.9 kg of ketamine ▲13.5 kg of synthetic cannabis ▲1,653 ecstasy pills, and a total of 26.6 kg of drugs.
In addition, the police secured 2 billion won in cash and 11 luxury watches worth 1 billion won. The police estimate the criminal proceeds at a minimum of 6 billion won and are also tracking evidence of money laundering.
◆ International Cooperation and Red Notice for Overseas Smugglers
This investigation began in January with the arrest of a Telegram courier. After tracking the upper-level ringleaders, the police identified a Vietnamese national distributor and, in cooperation with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), tracked down the local smuggling network and requested an Interpol Red Notice. The police evaluated this as "a case that dismantled the domestic base network of an international drug cartel."
◆ Police: "We Will Eradicate the Online Drug Market"
The Daegu Police Agency is expanding its investigation to include internet operators involved in promoting sales channels and unregistered virtual asset brokers. In particular, the police have secured a list of buyers and have launched additional investigations.
A Daegu Police Agency official emphasized, "We will fundamentally block new types of drug crimes by strengthening virtual asset tracking and international cooperation, centering on the dedicated online drug investigation team (launched in March 2025)."
The official added, "This case goes beyond simple arrests, exposing in detail the structure and methods of new drug crimes based on digital platforms. The secured 'buyer list' and international cooperative investigation network will serve as a watershed moment for fundamentally shutting down the online drug market in the future."
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