Korea Customs Service inspectors conduct joint inspections with their Thai counterparts, Thursday. Courtesy of Korea Customs Service
Korea’s customs authorities have intercepted a growing volume of illicit drugs before they reach the border, seizing 657 kilograms in a coordinated overseas crackdown that underscores the expanding reach of transnational trafficking networks.
The Korea Customs Service said Thursday it conducted joint enforcement operations with its counterparts in Thailand and Cambodia from January through March, uncovering 32 drug trafficking attempts involving methamphetamine, cannabis and etomidate. Officials said the amount seized was enough for roughly 1.81 million doses.
The operations are designed to stop narcotics at the source, with authorities sharing intelligence in advance and tightening inspections of passengers and cargo bound for Korea. Officers from both countries worked side by side to identify high-risk shipments and exchange information in real time when drugs were detected.
In Thailand, the two sides conducted their fifth joint operation, code-named “Trident,” seizing 651.4 kilograms of drugs — the largest haul since cooperation began in 2022. Over the five rounds, authorities have intercepted more than 1,036.9 kilograms of drugs from Thailand-linked routes.
Cambodia, increasingly used as an alternative trafficking corridor amid tighter enforcement elsewhere, was the focus of joint operation for the first time this year. That effort, code-named “Lionstone,” resulted in the capture of 5.7 kilograms of drugs, including methamphetamine and etomidate.
Customs authorities said that they will expand investigations to dismantle entire supply chains, working closely with partner countries to track suspects and refine detection systems.
Korea has established cooperation channels with key regions, including areas near the Golden Triangle, adding that authorities will intensify efforts to block narcotics at every stage.
This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.
Source: Korea Times News
