Korea Becoming Haven for Southeast Asian Drug Money

Thanks to raids on domestic narcotic producers and drug dealers in 2002, most illegal drug organizations have vanished in Korea. As a result, it has earned a reputation for a narcotic-free nation.

On the flip side, however, more and more international drug dealers are eyeing Korea as a drug-money laundering destination. According to public prosecutors, drug dealers can avoid the scrutiny of inspectors if the drugs are delivered via Korea. This explains the increase in the number of cases where Koreans were caught “helping” these drug dealers.

Last year, the total amount of confiscated heroin and cocaine for domestic consumption accounted for eight kilograms of the total trade of 30 kilograms. The rest was seized from traffickers headed for the United States and European nations after it was “laundered” in Korea.

Statistics from Korean public prosecutors reveal that approximately 100 Korean drug traffickers were caught in overseas jurisdictions as of May. International drug dealers recruited most of them.

The total number of narcotics-related offenders reached 7,709 last year, showing a 7.8 percent increase on a year-on-year basis. The total amount of confiscated heroin was 20,153 grams, an 11.6-percent rise from the previous year, and was worth 16.2 billion won.

Prosecutors said that narcotics-related offenses are on the rise again. From January to April this year, the total number of narcotics-related offenders recorded 2,714, 33.2 percent higher than the figures from the same period in 2006.

In particular, the number of offenders charged with production, trafficking, sales and possession of narcotics reached 1,691, which is a 16.3 percent increase from the 1,270 recorded in 2005.

Prosecutors explained, “Due to changes in the global supply route of narcotics and increases in cross-border cooperation, more and more traffickers and traders are back in the game after a long break.”

The number of drug trafficking cases using the global postal system stood at 105 last year, more than double the figure in 2005 with only 46 cases. The suppliers of illegal drugs to Seoul have diversified to include China and Southeast Asian countries.

Half of the narcotics-related offenders caught last year had relevant criminal records. The possibility of offenders committing a second offense soared to 45 percent last year, recording a continuous increase from about 30 percent in 2002-2004 and 42.8 percent in 2005. More strikingly, 51.2 percent of traffickers and traders of anti-psychotic drugs such as heroin and ecstasy, committed a second crime. This is a worrisome phenomenon considering these offenders made up for 77.9 percent of domestic narcotic-related drugs.

While the number of offenders related to traditional narcotics such as opium and hemp is on the gradual decline, more offenders are dealing with new types of drugs, including heroin. To illustrate, 3,218 pills of narcotics categorized as anti-psychotic drugs illegally entered the country for a 127.1 percent rise on a year-on-year basis. Prosecutors predicted that most of the anti-psychotic drugs are distributed among young drug users. Some Korean students studying overseas who come back for the holidays and foreign language instructors are suspected to be among the distributors.

woogija@donga.com