South Korea’s customs authorities announced the seizure of more than 650 kilograms of illegal drugs from Cambodia and Thailand at the border in the first quarter. The Korea Customs Service (KCS) reported that a total of 657 kg of narcotics were confiscated during joint crackdown operations with the customs agencies of the two countries. The seized drugs, including methamphetamine, marijuana, and etomidate, could supply around 1.8 million people.
The collaborative investigations uncovered 32 cases of drug trafficking, with 28 cases involving 651.4 kg of narcotics caught under a joint crackdown named “TRIDENT” with Thai authorities. This marked the highest amount of drugs seized in a single crackdown since the joint operations began in 2022. Additionally, a total of 14 cases, amounting to 1,037 kg of illegal drugs, were revealed in the past five joint investigations conducted so far.
Authorities in South Korea and Cambodia cracked down on drug trafficking in four cases, seizing 5.7 kg of illegal drugs under operation “LIONSTONE” conducted from January 26 to February 28. The Korea Customs Service highlighted the close cooperation between South Korea and Cambodia to prevent drug traffickers from diversifying their supply routes to other neighboring countries. KCS commissioner Lee Myeong-ku emphasized the commitment to stop the influx of illegal drugs across the South Korean border and outlined plans to collaborate with relevant government agencies to track illegal narcotics’ supply routes.
