The government reported on the 13th that it conducted a special joint crackdown on narcotics from April to June, apprehending 3,733 narcotics offenders, detaining 621 individuals, and confiscating 2,676.8 kg of narcotics.
The Minister of the Office for Government Policy Coordination, Yoon Chang-ryeol, chaired a government-wide narcotics countermeasure council on the morning of that day to discuss the results of the first half of this year's special crackdown on narcotics and the subsequent action directions and plans.
Representatives at the vice-minister level from 15 relevant ministries, including the Ministry of Justice, the Supreme Public Prosecutors' Office, the Korean National Police Agency, the Korea Customs Service, the Korea Coast Guard, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, and the Ministry of Health and Welfare, attended the meeting.
During the special crackdown period in the first half of this year, the prosecution and the Korea Customs Service apprehended a methamphetamine smuggler with 2.5 kg of the drug through joint analysis. Through international collaboration, including joint narcotics crackdowns between Korea and Thailand, 600 kg of cocaine and 45 kg of ketamine were also confiscated. In April, 2 tons of cocaine were discovered aboard a 32,000-ton bulk carrier that docked at Okgae Port in Gangneung. This quantity is worth about 1 trillion won and could be used by 67 million people simultaneously.
The police operated an online narcotics investigation team, apprehending 1,663 online narcotics offenders. The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety utilized its system to inspect 68 suspected misuse institutions, identifying 23 locations.
The government decided to leverage this inter-ministerial cooperation to conduct a special joint crackdown on narcotics from October 1 to November 30 for two months.
In line with the Chuseok holiday and festivals, a joint crackdown team comprised of police, local governments, the prosecution, and the Ministry of Justice will be established to block distribution in places where use and distribution occur frequently, such as entertainment establishments.
Agencies agreed to cooperate to focus on blocking attempts to bring narcotics during the holiday season, which is expected to see a high volume of international travel. They also plan to intensively investigate both online and offline distribution routes to enforce fundamental crackdowns at the source.
The narcotics countermeasure council reported that out of 15 target tasks for the management implementation plan this year, 14 have been completed, and 70 tasks are being pursued as scheduled.
Major tasks planned for the second half include expanding ship hull searches through underwater drones, establishing a joint information utilization system for narcotic misuse, and enhancing the training of professionals in prevention and rehabilitation.
The government agreed to bolster the first basic plan for narcotics management and implementation plan (2025-2029) to respond sternly to narcotics-related crimes.
The basic plan will separately establish detailed strategies related to blocking distribution and will focus on managing paths through which narcotics enter public life. Furthermore, starting next year, the implementation plan will reinforce the 'prevention and rehabilitation' section to ensure that addicts can reintegrate into society without re-offending and enjoy daily life, while also strengthening the performance management system for the implementation plan.
Yoon Chang-ryeol, the Minister of the Office for Government Policy Coordination, expressed concern, saying, "It is very worrisome that the proportion of individuals in their 20s and 30s, who will be responsible for our country's future, is exposed to narcotics crimes. To prevent the spread of narcotics and win the war on drugs, a government-wide effort is necessary."