The National Intelligence Service said on the 27th that the domestic penetration of ketamine, a narcotic known as the "club drug" and "Super K," is at a serious level.
According to the National Intelligence Service (NIS) International Crime Information Center, last year's ketamine seizures totaled 140.6 kilograms, the largest on record. They surged more than 50-fold in five years from 2.7 kilograms in 2020. By seized volume, it ranks second after methamphetamine (376.6 kilograms) and has grown larger than marijuana (128.6 kilograms).
Unlike methamphetamine (Southeast Asia) and marijuana (North America), which are mainly brought in from specific regions, ketamine arrives via a variety of routes, including Germany, the United Kingdom, Singapore, Thailand and the Netherlands.
The National Intelligence Service (NIS) assessed that in the case of ketamine, international drug cartels are expanding illegal production and supply by exploiting the fact that it is not a United Nations (UN) controlled substance and that some countries regulate it as a pharmaceutical, not a narcotic.
But ketamine's side effects are severe. An overdose causes irreversible, permanent urinary tract damage so serious that a person would need to wear diapers around the clock. Mixing it with other drugs such as methamphetamine for stronger stimulation and effect can lead to death or permanent disability.
The National Intelligence Service (NIS) also explained that ketamine is often abused as a "date-rape drug" because it is hard to detect when secretly mixed into drinks and is quickly excreted from the body. It urged people to be cautious with alcohol and beverages handed over by strangers at drinking gatherings or clubs and, if extreme drowsiness or decreased consciousness and confusion occur, to move to a safe place as quickly as possible and report to authorities.
An official at the National Intelligence Service (NIS) said, "We plan to focus on tracking overseas ketamine supply chains and distribution networks and to promptly support related information to relevant domestic agencies to prevent harm to the public."