Two suspects busted for cigarette heist

Police empty bags of stolen cigarette packs at the Iksan Police Station in North Jeolla Province, Monday. / Yonhap

Police in North Jeolla Province detained two people for allegedly stealing 12 million won ($11,000) worth of cigarettes, following a government-mandated price hike this month.

The two have been charged with breaking into a hardware store in Iksan, North Jeolla Province last Wednesday and stealing 1,110 packs of cigarettes. They are also accused of stealing 500 packs from a supermarket in neighboring Jeonju the following day.

The police are further investigating the details of the alleged theft.

The government raised cigarette prices by 2,000 won from Jan. 1 this year, raising the average price of a pack of cigarettes to 4,500 won, in a bid to curb the country’s notoriously high smoking rate.