Arrests of drug smugglers, manufacturers rise 33.8% this year: police

In the first eight months of the current year, police have seen a significant increase in arrests related to drug smuggling and manufacturing. The National Office of Investigation, part of the Korean National Police Agency, reported a 33.8% rise in such arrests compared to the same period last year. Specifically, 174 people were apprehended for drug manufacturing and smuggling between January and August this year, up from 130 during the same timeframe in the previous year.

Additionally, there was a 6.6% increase in the number of people arrested for dealing drugs, totaling 3,396 over the period. The overall count of individuals caught for drug-related offenses was 9,530, marking a 5.3% increase from the same period a year prior. Medical drug offenses accounted for 706 arrests, representing an 11.9% rise from the previous year.

The police have intensified their efforts to disrupt drug supply sources and distribution networks throughout the year. Notably, they successfully repatriated and arrested Park Wang-yeol, a notorious drug trafficker. Park had been imprisoned in the Philippines on suspicion of killing three South Koreans.