Cases of drug smuggling being caught at Incheon International Airport have surged. Even just the number of busts from January to July this year has already surpassed last year's annual record.
According to the Incheon Airport Main Customs on the 1st, there were 605 cases from January to July this year of drugs being smuggled in or out through traveler channels at Incheon Airport. The total seized weight was 136 kilograms.
This is the largest scale since customs authorities began compiling related statistics in 2016. The number of drug smuggling busts through traveler channels rose from 66 in 2016 to 587 last year, and this year surpassed last year's annual record in just seven months.
The share of travelers in overall drug busts also jumped significantly. Incheon Airport Customs recorded a total of 779 drug busts this year, of which traveler channels accounted for about 77% with 605 cases. There were 94 cases via international mail, 78 via express cargo, and 2 in other categories.
Customs authorities believe the increase is due to a rise in passengers using Incheon Airport and more drug offenders opting for traveler channels instead of international mail or express cargo, which are subject to full X-ray screening, leading to more busts.
Incheon Airport Customs held a "field camp to eradicate drugs" strategy meeting in the main conference room of Terminal 1 that day, with relevant department heads attending, to discuss recent drug smuggling trends and response measures.