Informant rewards raised to 100 million won as drug crimes surge

Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police Precinct shows confiscated drugs to reporters on April 4 in Gyeonggi. [YONHAP]

The Supreme Prosecutors' Office will offer rewards of up to 100 million won ($71,500) to individuals reporting drug dealers or crimes.

The top prosecutors’ office on Sunday vowed to reform its reward system in response to the growing number of drug crimes.

Reward amounts will vary depending on the value of the drugs seized.

Prosecutors will offer the maximum reward of 100 million won when tips lead to the seizure of drugs worth over 1 billion won.

Informants will receive a 50 million won reward for reporting on drugs worth 500 million to 1 billion won, 30 million won for reporting on drugs valued between 5 million and 500 million won, and 5 million won for reporting on drugs worth less than 5 million won.

Previously, the maximum reward under the system was 50 million won. In 2022, an informant was awarded 30 million won for reporting on a seller of illegal drugs, including 5.7 kilograms of methamphetamine and 5.1 kilograms of synthetic marijuana.

Prosecutors will also go easy on drug dealers who cooperate by reporting on other drug dealers. This decision comes amidst concerns that individuals may hesitate to report crimes if they also have to face severe charges.

“While promptly identifying criminal organizations and criminal proceeds is crucial amid the internationalization and systematization of drug crimes, individuals involved in drug trafficking will not help if they also face severe charges for possessing drugs,” the top prosecutors' office said.

The prosecutors' efforts to improve the reward system come as drug crimes skyrocket.

The prosecution plans to increase the maximum reward to 300 million won. However, the prosecutors' office did not specify when the new reward system will go into effect.

According to prosecutors, the number of drug offenders increased by 118.9 percent last year, rising to 27,611 from 12,613 in 2018.

The quantity of drugs seized surged by 140.7 percent, from 998 kilograms to 414.6 kilograms during the same period.

BY HEO JEONG-WON, WOO JI-WON [woo.jiwon@joongang.co.kr]