Vietnamese Illegal Resident Arrested for Smuggling Drugs into South Korea from Overseas

[Financial News] Vietnamese nationals illegally staying in South Korea were arrested after smuggling psychotropic drugs from Poland through international mail and selling and distributing them domestically.
The Busan Metropolitan Police Agency announced on the 16th that it had arrested 35 Vietnamese nationals, including a man in his 20s identified as A, on suspicion of violating the Narcotics Control Act. Fifteen of them were detained.
A is suspected of distributing drugs, including ecstasy and ketamine, at entertainment establishments last year. After receiving information that Vietnamese nationals illegally staying in South Korea were distributing drugs at karaoke bars and other entertainment establishments, police launched an investigation. In cooperation with relevant agencies, including the immigration special investigation team, officers arrested A in a sting operation and seized drugs in the process.
Police began tracking A’s accomplices using his statements, forensic data from his mobile phone, and bank transaction records. As a result, from October last year through August this year, they arrested 35 people, including not only dealers and distributors but also customers and entertainment workers who used the drugs after receiving locations from karaoke-bar operators. The seized drugs totaled 17.67 grams of ecstasy, 48.7 grams of ketamine, and 199.55 grams of ketamine.
Police found that most of the suspects were Vietnamese nationals who remained in South Korea illegally after their permitted stays had expired. They primarily communicated through a messaging app called Zalo. They were also found to have used drugs at Vietnamese karaoke bars operating in Busan, Ulsan, Changwon, and Cheonan after receiving drug-use equipment and other supplies from the operators.
Police have designated the period from last month through the end of this year as the second-half intensive drug crackdown and are conducting focused enforcement. They plan to prevent crimes in advance by maintaining a cooperative system with relevant agencies, including customs authorities and immigration offices, and acting on intelligence.
A police official said, "Drug-related crimes are a typical example of hidden crime. Since tips from insiders and people connected to such crimes can provide decisive leads in investigations, we ask the public to actively report and provide information."

[email protected] Baek Chang-hoon Reporter