Arrests of drug smugglers, manufacturers rise 33.8% this year: police
Summary
Police said the number of people arrested for drug smuggling and manufacturing rose 33.8 percent to 174 in the first eight months of this year, with total drug-related arrests reaching 9,530. The National Office of Investigation said it is focusing on cutting off supply sources and distribution networks. In a major case, police repatriated and arrested drug trafficker Park Wang-yeol from the Philippines and worked with Thai authorities to arrest and repatriate his key supplier, Choi Byeong-min.
Key Facts
- The number of arrests for drug dealing also rose 6.6 percent year-on-year to 3,396 between January and August.
- Police said 706 people were arrested for offenses involving medical drugs, up 11.9 percent from a year earlier.
- The police identified 6.3 billion won worth of drugs linked to Park Wang-yeol, including 12.7 kilograms of methamphetamine.
- Authorities also identified 8.63 billion won in criminal proceeds linked to Park, and later found 6 billion won more in criminal proceeds tied to Choi Byeong-min that were seized before indictment.
Park Wang-yeol, center, a South Korean national detained in the Philippines, arrives at Incheon airport, to face an investigation into alleged cross-border drug trafficking, in this file photo, March 25. Hankookilbo
The number of people arrested for drug smuggling and manufacturing rose more than 30 percent in the first eight months of this year from a year earlier, police said Monday.
The National Office of Investigation (NOI) under the Korean National Police Agency said it arrested 174 people for drug manufacturing and smuggling between January and August, up 33.8 percent from 130 during the same period last year.
The number of people arrested for dealing drugs also rose 6.6 percent on-year to 3,396 during the cited period.
The total number of people caught for drug-related offenses stood at 9,530, up 5.3 percent from a year earlier. Of the total, 706 people were arrested for offenses involving medical drugs, an 11.9 percent increase from a year earlier.
The police have focused their investigative efforts on cutting off drug supply sources and distribution networks this year.
In a major case, the police repatriated and arrested notorious drug trafficker Park Wang-yeol from the Philippines, who had been imprisoned in the Southeast Asian country on suspicion of killing three South Koreans and is suspected of distributing drugs to buyers in South Korea.
The police identified 6.3 billion won ($4.69 million) worth of drugs linked to Park, including 12.7 kilograms of methamphetamine, as well as 8.63 billion won worth of criminal proceeds.
They later worked with Thai authorities to arrest and repatriate Choi Byeong-min, a key drug supplier for Park, uncovering 41 additional offenses and identifying 6 billion won worth of criminal proceeds, which were seized before indictment.
The NOI said it plans to strengthen cooperation with relevant agencies and foreign counterparts. As part of the efforts, the police agency will hold an international conference on narcotics next month and expand international cooperation.
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