Two more crew members involved in the country’s largest cocaine smuggling case, known as the “Gangneung Cocaine Smuggling,” have been transferred for prosecution.

Violation of the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes… International Cooperation in Investigation Continues,
,
,

Large-scale cocaine smuggling busted on foreign vessel
[Yonhap News data photo],
,
, ‘ (Donghae = Yonhap News) Reporter Ryu Ho-jun = Regarding the cocaine smuggling incident at Gangneung Okgae Port last month, two Filipino crew members have been handed over to the prosecution.’,
,
, ‘ The Joint Investigation Headquarters of Donghae Regional Coast Guard and Seoul Customs Office announced on the 28th that they have detained and sent two Filipino crew members to prosecution for violating the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes (Narcotics).’,
,
, ” They are accused of collaborating with members of a Central and South American drug cartel in February to load cocaine produced in Central and South America onto the vessel ‘L’ and transport it to another drug dealer.”,
,
, ‘ On February 8, while sailing from Peru to Panama, they rendezvoused with a boat carrying cocaine and hid it inside the engine room of the vessel.’,
,
, ‘ The vessel entered Gangneung Okgae Port on the morning of the 2nd of last month in ballast condition (a vessel entering without cargo), after passing through Dangjin Port in South Chungcheong Province and Zhangjiagang and Jiafu Ports in China.’,
,
, ‘ Upon receiving information that narcotic substances were being carried on the vessel entering Korea, the Coast Guard and Customs immediately searched the vessel L and found large quantities of suspected cocaine.’,
,
, ‘ The cocaine they attempted to smuggle in weighed approximately 1,988 kg including packaging, enough for 57 million people to use simultaneously.’,
,
, ‘ The Joint Investigation Headquarters has detained and sent a total of four people related to this case to prosecution, including two Filipino crew members on the 2nd as well.’,
,
, ‘ Also, they are proceeding with Interpol Red Notice procedures for the four crew members who disembarked before entering Okgae Port.’,
,
, ‘ Superintendent Shin Kyung-jin, head of the Joint Investigation Unit, stated, “This is the largest drug crime linked to an international drug cartel in Korea, and so far, there is no concrete evidence of an attempt to directly bring in cocaine into Korea,” adding, “We will strongly respond to maritime drug crimes in cooperation with related agencies.” ‘,
,
,

Cocaine-like substances seized at Gangneung Okgae Port
[Yonhap News data photo],
,
, ‘ [email protected]’,
,
,