The Ministery of Food and Drug Safety launched its first investigative study group to strengthen investigative capabilities against illegal acts in the food and drug sectors.
The Ministery of Food and Drug Safety said on the 29th that it launched the food and drug investigation study group "Sherlock Holmes" and held the "1st Food and Drug Investigation Seminar" to strengthen the investigative expertise of special judicial police (special investigators) at the Osong Convention Center on the 28th.
"Sherlock Holmes" is a study group with about 50 participants, including the Central Investigation Unit for Harmful Offenders and special investigators from regional offices. It was set up to study changes in the criminal justice system and the latest investigative techniques, and to share emerging crimes and investigative cases to strengthen response capabilities for crimes involving food, drugs, and medical narcotics.
At the first seminar, Park Jae-pyeong, a professor at the Chungbuk National University law school, gave a presentation on "Changes in the criminal justice structure and the development direction of special investigators." Then investigators from the Central Investigation Unit for Harmful Offenders introduced cases of investigations into fake health functional foods and cosmetics and key issues in the process of recovering criminal proceeds. There was also time to share on-site investigative experiences and challenges between special investigators at headquarters and regional offices.
Since its establishment in 2009, the Ministery of Food and Drug Safety Central Investigation Unit for Harmful Offenders has been investigating violations of 14 laws, including the Food Sanitation Act, the Pharmaceutical Affairs Act, the Medical Devices Act, and the Narcotics Control Act. Currently, 28 people at headquarters and 15 at regional offices are serving as special investigators, and last year about 350 cases involving harmful offenders in the food and drug sectors were investigated and referred to prosecutors.
Kim Jin-hwi, head of the Central Investigation Unit for Harmful Offenders, said, "The Ministery of Food and Drug Safety's special investigators have expertise in the food and drug sectors and accumulated investigative experience, but continuous capacity building is needed to respond to rapidly changing social systems and technological environments," and added, "We will enhance the expertise of special investigators through Sherlock Holmes and actively respond to illegal acts that threaten public health."
The Ministery of Food and Drug Safety plans to continue strengthening crackdowns and investigations into illegal food and drugs and crimes involving medical narcotics.