A scene showing the inspection of a hiding spot used for so-called “throw-off” methamphetamine transactions. (Image provided by Daejeon Metropolitan Police Agency)
SEOUL, June 16 (Korea Bizwire) — In an escalating effort to combat the rise of clandestine drug trafficking, South Korean police announced plans to equip narcotics units with industrial endoscope cameras to locate drugs hidden in hard-to-access spaces.
The new tools, which will be distributed later this year to 71 drug investigation teams across 18 metropolitan and provincial police agencies — including those in Seoul, Busan, and Daegu — represent a novel approach in the nation’s fight against drug crime. Police say it is the first time such devices are being used in narcotics enforcement.
The decision comes amid growing concerns over the “throw-off” method of drug distribution, a contactless transaction tactic in which dealers hide narcotics in specific locations for buyers to retrieve later.
Common hiding spots include apartment flower beds, ceiling tiles, inside toilets, water meters, gas pipes, and air conditioning units — places often invisible to the naked eye.
The industrial endoscopes feature joystick-controlled tubes capable of 180-degree rotation in four directions and are equipped with lights for capturing images in dark spaces.
South Korean Police to Use Endoscope Cameras in Crackdown on Covert Drug Drops (Image supported by ChatGPT)
“The use of endoscopes in drug investigations is unprecedented for us,” said a police official, noting that such technology could significantly improve detection in urban residential and public settings where illicit substances are increasingly being stashed.
Once considered a “drug-free safe zone,” South Korea has seen a stark rise in drug-related crimes. In 2024, authorities recorded 27,611 drug offenders — a nearly 50 percent increase from the previous year, according to the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office. Police believe a majority of recent drug distribution cases involve the throw-off tactic.
Public alarm intensified recently following the indictment of a high-profile figure: the son of conservative lawmaker Lee Chul-kyu of the People Power Party was charged with attempting to purchase and use narcotics via the throw-off method. His repeated failures to locate the stashed drugs — despite receiving exact coordinates near residential buildings — led to his arrest after a bystander reported suspicious behavior.
The deployment of endoscopes is part of a broader crackdown aimed at preventing the normalization of drug culture and rooting out narcotics from everyday spaces across the country.
M. H. Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)
