Customs officials show various types of drug-stash products at the Korea Customs Service office in Seoul on Feb. 2, 2023. (Yonhap)
SEOUL, Feb. 8 (Korea Bizwire) — With the number of domestic drug users increasing, particularly among young people in their 20s and 30s, drug-smuggling channels and techniques are evolving in a more diverse and deliberate manner.
South Korea’s customs agency disclosed a series of the latest drug-smuggling techniques when it announced a comprehensive plan to crack down on drug smuggling last week.
Among such techniques is the smuggling of drugs by making MDMA, commonly known as ecstasy, in a powder form and inserting it into a nutritional supplement capsule.
Ecstasy went viral after the Australian government recently allowed it to be used for the treatment of depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
There was a case where lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) was adhered to a fruit-shaped sticker. It’s not easy to detect LSD since it comes in various forms such as general stickers or stamps.
The customs office also detected a case in which methamphetamine, a common illegal substance also known as Philopon, was hidden in a pack of dried durian, a tropical fruit common in Southeast Asia.
Liquid hemp disguised as a pancake syrup was also detected. Marijuana use is spreading fast in South Korea with some entertainer celebrities being caught for cultivating the plant within their homes.
J. S. Shin (js_shin@koreabizwire.com)
