Police report that arrests for drug smuggling and manufacturing increase by 33.8% in the first eight months of 2024 compared with the same period last year. The National Office of Investigation (NOI) under the Korean National Police Agency says it arrests 174 people for manufacturing and smuggling between January and August, up from 130 a year earlier.
The police also report broader drug-related enforcement figures. Arrests for drug dealing rise 6.6% year-on-year to 3,396 from January to August, while the total number of people caught for drug-related offenses increases 5.3% to 9,530. Within that total, police say 706 people are arrested for offenses involving medical drugs, an 11.9% rise from a year earlier. Police say their investigations focus on disrupting supply sources and distribution networks. One highlighted case involves the repatriation and arrest of drug trafficker Park Wang-yeol, who had been held in the Philippines.
Across the outlets, the central point is the reported year-on-year growth in arrests for manufacturing and smuggling, with supporting figures for dealing, medical-drug offenses, and the emphasis on cutting supply and distribution routes.
