Two tons of cocaine seized from foreign ship in Korea's biggest drug bust

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Two tons of cocaine seized from foreign ship in Korea's biggest drug bust

Published: 03 Apr. 2025, 17:33

LIM JEONG-WON
[email protected]

Audio report: written by reporters, read by AI

Customs and Coast Guard authorities discovered nearly two tons of cocaine aboard a foreign cargo ship that docked at Okgye Port in Gangneung, Gangwon, on April 3. [YONHAP]

In perhaps the biggest drug seizure in Korea’s history, customs and Coast Guard authorities discovered nearly two tons of cocaine aboard a foreign cargo ship that docked at Okgye Port in Gangneung, Gangwon, on Thursday.

According to the Korea Customs Service and the Coast Guard, the seizure marks the largest volume of narcotics uncovered in the country since 404 kilograms of methamphetamine were seized in 2021.

Authorities said they were acting on intelligence received on Tuesday from the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), which warned that a foreign-flagged ship scheduled to arrive in Gangneung was carrying concealed narcotics.

A joint search team of 90 personnel boarded the vessel at 6:30 a.m. on Thursday, shortly after it arrived in port. The ship had been reported as arriving empty, with plans to load cargo such as limestone for export.

The ship, registered under the Norwegian flag, departed from Mexico and made stops in Ecuador, Panama and China before heading to Korea.

While inspecting the ship, officers discovered a hidden compartment behind the engine room. A customs sniffer dog indicated the presence of drugs, prompting investigators to open the space. They found 56 boxes inside, each weighing between 20 and 30 kilograms.

A preliminary test using ion scanners and drug detection kits suggested the boxes contained cocaine. Authorities plan to weigh the contents onshore and conduct a final analysis through the National Forensic Service to confirm the substance.

If confirmed as cocaine, the total volume would amount to roughly two tons with an estimated street value of 500 billion won ($340 million). Officials say the quantity would be enough for two million doses.

The Korea Customs Service described the bust as the country’s largest ever in terms of volume. Given that cocaine is primarily produced and trafficked in Latin America, investigators suspect the drugs originated from that region.

A joint search team boards a foreign cargo ship suspected of having hidden drugs at Okgye Port in Gangneung, Gangwon on April 3. [KOREA CUSTOMS SERVICE]

All 20 foreign crew members aboard the ship were detained at the scene.

“The amount of drugs seized suggests this could not have been carried out by one or two individuals,” said a customs official. “We are leaving open the possibility of involvement by an international drug trafficking organization.”

Authorities plan to analyze the crew’s mobile phones and may expand the investigation in cooperation with U.S. agencies. A joint investigation team has been formed to probe whether the crew was complicit, determine the source of the drugs, and identify the intended route and final destination.

Officials said they are also exploring the ship’s possible links to global narcotics networks.

“We will strengthen cooperation with the Korea Customs Service and international agencies to eliminate drug smuggling,” said Korea Coast Guard Commissioner General Kim Yong-jin.

BY IM SOUNG-BIN, LIM JEONG-WON [[email protected]]