Seizure of smuggled drugs hits record high in 2021

Drug smuggling uncovered by the South Korean customs agency hit a record high last year as trafficking via non-contact delivery means shot up amid the COVID-19 pandemic, data showed Wednesday.

The Korea Customs Service (KCS) said it confiscated a total of 1,272 kilograms of drugs in 2021, up 757 percent from the previous year.

Drug smuggling via international mail and cargo sharply increased as delivery by international travelers declined due to the pandemic, according to the KCS.

The confiscated amount of drugs in cargo and mail jumped 1,288 percent year-on-year to 1,258 kg last year, while the agency confiscated 12 kg of drugs smuggled by travelers, down 77 percent from 2021.

By type, methamphetamine amounts confiscated soared 849 percent to 577 kg last year. In July, the KCS seized 402.8 kg of methamphetamine in maritime cargo coming from Mexico.

It confiscated 448 kg of cocaine, sharply up from 153 grams a year earlier; while the amount of confiscated marijuana rose 50 percent to 99 kg.

Smuggling of new types of substances, including MDMA, commonly known as ecstasy, also jumped with the seizure of such narcotics soaring 569 percent year-on-year to 143 kg.

The KCS said international drug rings continued to smuggle methamphetamine of more than 1 kg into South Korea; while more traffickers transported cocaine via South Korea to other destinations.

Young people also used international mail and cargo to smuggle a small amount of narcotics for their own consumption. The agency confiscated 385 cases of drugs less than 10 grams smuggled via international mail last year, up 179 percent from a year ago. (Yonhap)