Drugs suspected of smuggling were discovered on a foreign vessel docked domestically. Weighing 1 ton, this is the largest amount ever found.
The East Sea Regional Maritime Police Agency and the Seoul Main Customs Office said on the 2nd that they had discovered drugs aboard a vessel that had docked at Okgye Port in Gangneung, Gangwon Province, and had begun an investigation.
Police and customs officials launched a search around 6:30 a.m. after receiving information from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) that a 32,000-ton bulk carrier carrying 20 foreign crew members was entering South Korea with suspected drugs on board. The vessel, registered in Norway, reportedly departed from Mexico and made stops in Ecuador, Panama, and China before arriving in South Korea.
The joint search team found about 50 boxes containing suspected cocaine, weighing 20 kg each, after intensively searching the rear compartment of the ship's engine room. The total weight is 1 ton, valued at approximately 500 billion won. This amount could accommodate simultaneous dosing for 2 million people. The tariff stated that this is the largest amount found to date by weight. The previous record was 404 kg of methamphetamine discovered in 2021.
The East Sea Coast Guard and the Seoul Main Customs Office are investigating the captain and crew of the vessel regarding the source and distribution route of the drugs. They also plan to confirm the substance's components by requesting assistance from the National Forensic Service. The government is not ruling out connections to international drug trafficking organizations.