FBI intercepts large amount of illegal drugs on cargo ship at Okgye port, South Korea

A large amount of drugs believed to be cocaine was seized in Okgye Port, Gangneung, Gangwon Province, South Korea.
The information from the National Security Investigation Agency (HSI) was utilized. On the 2nd, the Korea Coast Guard and Korea Customs Service announced that they had seized a large amount of drugs, presumed to be cocaine, from a foreign trading ship that had entered Gangneung Okgye Port.
The investigation began after the US FBI and HSI received a tip that illegal drugs were being hidden on a bulk carrier entering the port of Yuxi.
The vessel in question was a 32,000-ton vessel that departed from Mexico and passed through Ecuador, Panama, and China before arriving at Jiangling.
The National Police Agency and the Korea Customs Service organized a joint search team consisting of 90 drug investigators from the Donghae Coast Guard and Seoul Customs and two teams of drug detection dogs.
The search team boarded the vessel and conducted a detailed search. The search team confirmed the reaction of drug detection dogs in a secret room at the back of the engine room of Vessel A, and after investigating the inside, they found a box containing 20 kg of suspected cocaine.
Dozens of boxes were found. A simple reagent test confirmed that the boxes contained a substance suspected to be cocaine. The exact weight and ingredients will be confirmed through detailed analysis.
If it turns out to be cocaine, then assuming a single dose of 10 mg, that would be enough to administer to two million people at the same time.
The Korea Coast Guard and Korea Customs Agency have indicted the captain and about 20 crew members of Vessel A on charges of conspiracy to smuggle.
The investigation will focus on whether there is any involvement of international drug trafficking organizations and on the distribution routes. In addition, considering the possibility of involvement of international drug trafficking organizations, cooperation with US investigative agencies will be expanded.
Drug smuggling in South Korea is mainly conducted through Incheon International Airport, but smuggling through ports and regional airports also occurs.
According to the Korea Customs Service, the amount of illegal drugs smuggled through regional international airports from January to March this year was 19 kg, up 180% from the same period last year (6.8 kg).
The number of cases interdicted during the same period also increased from four to 10. The number and scale of illegal drug smuggling via regional international airports was 9 cases and 12.8 kg in 2022, but increased to 37 cases and 20.9 kg last year.
The Customs Service plans to share real-time information on drug-related cases seized at airports and ports nationwide with customs offices at regional airports.