A large group involved in the massive smuggling and distribution of drugs through social networking services (SNS) has been arrested.
The Jinju Police Station in Gyeongnam announced on the 2nd that a total of 21 people, including A, a Thai national in his 20s who was the domestic ringleader of the distribution, 18 distributors, and 2 users, both domestic and foreign, have been apprehended on charges of violating the Narcotics Control Act, with 16 of them being detained.
According to the police, A allegedly smuggled 79,000 tablets of ‘Yaba,’ a popular drug manufactured and distributed in Thailand, based on a directive from a major drug dealer in Thailand via SNS last September. A is also accused of distributing 5kg of methamphetamine received from B, another distributor who is a Thai national in his 30s.
The methamphetamine was further distributed to C, a Korean national in his 50s, while the Yaba was passed on to D, a Thai national in his 30s, and E, a Thai national in his 40s.
C, who received the methamphetamine from A, is accused of further distributing it to two Chinese nationals. Meanwhile, D and E distributed the Yaba to 14 individuals, among whom 9 are also charged for direct drug use.
The police set up a stakeout at the methamphetamine transaction site on October 9th last year, leading to the apprehension of C and two Chinese nationals, followed by the continuous arrest of the gang including A, the domestic ringleader, until January 21st this year.
During the operation, police confiscated 2.92kg of methamphetamine, which is enough for simultaneous usage by 97,000 people, and 68,043 tablets of Yaba, out of the 79,000 smuggled.
The seized methamphetamine and Yaba are estimated to be worth 290 million KRW and 1.36 billion KRW, respectively.
Among the 21 suspects, 3 are Korean nationals, 2 are Chinese, 15 are Thai, and 1 is Laotian. Most of them were living in dormitory-style accommodations as factory workers, and it was revealed that 7 of them were illegal residents.
The narcotics team of the Jinju Police Station received the first special achievement award from the National Police Agency last month for their accomplishments in this case.
A police official stated that, along with the arrest and detention of the gang, they plan to investigate the flow of funds or illegal profits in the drug distribution process. They emphasized their commitment to cracking down on transnational crimes, including the distribution of drugs by foreigners, as well as online, medical, and entertainment district drug crimes.
They also assured that the identity of drug-related crime informants would be thoroughly protected, and rewards for reporting will be actively provided, encouraging citizens to offer their interest and tips.