Drugs worth $4.2 mil. found in trash bag on Jeju beach

A view of Gwangchigi Beach near Seongsan Ilchulbong in Jeju, Sept. 15. Yonhap

A large cache of illegal drugs was found along the scenic coastline near Seongsan Ilchulbong, a UNESCO-listed volcanic peak on Jeju Island, prompting a swift investigation by local maritime police.

According to the Jeju Coast Guard, a volunteer dedicated to marine environmental protection stumbled upon a suspicious item on Oct. 7 while cleaning Gwangchigi Beach in Seogwipo.

The volunteer reported discovering a waste collection bag filled with assorted debris. Inside were 20 brick-shaped packages, each tightly wrapped in aluminum foil and clear plastic, with the Chinese character for “tea” marked on the outside.

After recovering the packages, authorities sent them to the National Forensic Service for analysis. Tests revealed that the blocks contained ketamine, a synthetic drug known for its hallucinogenic effects, and classified in Korea as an emerging narcotic.

The total weight of the seized drugs was 20 kilograms — enough for roughly 660,000 individual doses, based on a standard dose of 0.03 grams. Police estimated the street value at about 6 billion won ($4.2 million), making it one of the largest drug discoveries in recent years.

Officials have formed a dedicated task force to investigate the drugs' origin and entry route, scouring both land and sea for clues. Investigators are examining coastal waters near the area where the drugs were discovered and analyzing evidence recovered from the packages.

Police plan to request DNA testing from forensic experts and work with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration to trace possible links to international drug networks.