Drug seizures increase in Q1 as more travelers are involved in smuggling

Korea Customs Service (KCS) Commissioner Lee Myeong-ku speaks during a press conference at the Government Complex Daejeon, Monday, presenting first-quarter drug smuggling enforcement results. Courtesy of KCS

A total of 302 drug smuggling cases, involving 180 kilograms of substances, were intercepted at the border in the first quarter of 2026, Korea Customs Service (KCS) Commissioner Lee Myeong-ku said Monday.

While this marked a 13 percent increase in the number of cases from a year earlier, when a record high was set, the total volume declined by 5 percent.

A breakdown by smuggling route shows a notable surge in traveler-based cases, both in frequency and volume. By contrast, express cargo shipments saw fewer cases but a slight uptick in volume, while international mail recorded declines in both measures.

"The shift indicates that smuggling channels, which had leaned heavily on mail and express cargo during the COVID-19 pandemic, are now reverting to traveler routes," Lee said during a press conference.

In terms of drug types, the overall volume was driven by major methamphetamine seizures, including 24 kilograms from Canada via express cargo and 16 kilograms carried by a traveler from Thailand.

Authorities also flagged signs of diversification, as heroin intended for personal use, which had not been detected since 2024, was discovered in international mail addressed to a British resident in Korea.

By country of origin, Thailand accounted for the largest share of seizures, followed by Canada, Vietnam and the United States.

Lee convened an anti-drug task force meeting, where he reviewed first-quarter enforcement trends with customs officials nationwide and outlined future strategies.

Established in January, the task force operates under the commissioner’s direct supervision and is designed to facilitate coordinated action across customs functions, overcoming the traditional separation between clearance, surveillance and investigative units. It has been meeting on a weekly basis.

Lee said dedicated drug inspection teams will undergo a pilot phase through June, after which they will be fully deployed following field-level adjustments.

He also announced that the “Landing 125” program for on-arrival drug enforcement, currently limited to Incheon International Airport’s Terminal 1, will be expanded to Terminal 2 starting in July to strengthen efforts to block drug inflows at the entry stage.

“Drug-related crimes pose a significant threat to public health and safety and must be intercepted at the border before entering the country,” Lee said. “The KCS will continue to respond decisively, leveraging its strength in launching immediate investigations upon detection, regardless of changes in the broader legal or institutional environment.”

For express cargo, authorities have already strengthened screening of shipments from high-risk countries by implementing full X-ray inspections and cross-checks with drug detection dogs, while establishing a dedicated inspection zone staffed by experienced personnel to ensure sufficient screening time and improve accuracy.

They now plan to increase staffing, extend inspection time to at least seven seconds per shipment and expand the share of high-risk cargo subject to inspection.

For international mail, a second inspection layer has been introduced at five inland logistics hubs, including Bucheon and Busan, complementing existing airport and port checks. The expanded system has been fully operational since this month.