South Korean police arrest over 5,200 drug offenders in first half; focus shifts to online and foreign crime

South Korean police apprehended more than 5,200 individuals for drug-related offenses during a concentrated crackdown in the first half of this year. The operation focused on new psychoactive substances, medical drugs, and drugs in entertainment districts.

Methamphetamine, synthetic cannabis, and ketamine accounted for the majority of arrests, with 4,300 individuals charged, representing 82.6% of the total. Arrests for illegal use of medical drugs like propofol also saw an increase, rising 9.1% from the same period last year to 337 cases.

The National Investigation Headquarters of the National Police Agency reported that from March to June, the crackdown resulted in 5,203 arrests and 1039 detentions. Notably, arrests for drug manufacturing and smuggling surged by 26.7%, and for sales by 9.0%, indicating a significant rise in the apprehension of drug distributors. Police attributed this increase to focused efforts on disrupting overseas supply chains through a special task force.

In contrast, drug-related arrests in entertainment areas decreased to 84, down from 191 in the previous year, attributed to joint government checks and on-site enforcement. For the second half of the year, police will expand their focus to include online drug markets and crimes involving foreign nationals, utilizing dedicated online and virtual asset investigation teams.

Last year, South Korea saw over 23,000 drug offenders, a 1.4% increase from the year before. The number of foreign nationals involved in drug offenses also reached a record high, with 848 arrested in the first half of this year, an increase of 114 from the previous year. Foreign nationals accounted for a higher proportion of drug suppliers, at 47.2%, compared to the overall average of 39.2%.