Korea Customs Service (KCS) Commissioner Lee Jong-wook speaks during a media briefing at the Anyang Mail Center, Gyeonggi Province, Thursday, announcing the 60-day results of the newly launched secondary drug screening system against drug smuggling through international mail. Courtesy of KCS
The Korea Customs Service (KCS) said Thursday that its newly launched secondary drug screening system for international mail has resulted in the seizure of three narcotics smuggling cases totaling 1,159.3 grams within just 60 days, demonstrating its effectiveness as an additional barrier against drug trafficking.
Dubbed the second line of defense, the system subjects international postal items to a second round of X-ray screening and physical inspection at inland mail centers after they have already cleared initial checks at airports and seaports, creating a dual-layer screening framework.
The measure was introduced to counter the growing use of international mail for drug smuggling and increasingly sophisticated concealment methods.
Since April, the system has been operating at five major logistics hubs nationwide, including Seoul, Anyang and Busan.
To support the initiative, KCS and Korea Post overhauled the international mail logistics network so that all inbound postal items pass through the five designated hubs, each equipped with enhanced X-ray screening and inspection capabilities.
“The recent seizures demonstrate that the secondary screening system is functioning effectively alongside frontline border inspections,” KCS Commissioner Lee Jong-wook said during a media briefing.
“We will expand this multilayered inspection framework across all entry channels, including express cargo, travelers, general imports, airports, seaports and maritime shipping,” he said.
The five screening hubs currently inspect around 31,000 international mail items daily, according to KCS. Information gathered during the inspections, including trafficking routes, parcel characteristics and risk indicators, will be used to strengthen risk profiling and improve targeted screening of international mail.
Lee emphasized plans to strengthen technological capabilities through increased investment in advanced screening equipment and artificial intelligence (AI)-powered risk analysis systems. KCS is also exploring the use of AI-enabled electronic nose sensors and other emerging technologies to further enhance detection accuracy.
Source: Korea Times News
