Police bust multinational drug ring for smuggling meth into S. Korea
By YonhapPublished : Sept. 10, 2023 - 10:47
![Stashes of methamphetamine seized from the drug ring (Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency)](http://res.heraldm.com/phpwas/restmb_idxmake.php?idx=640&simg=/content/image/2023/09/10/20230910000051_0.jpg)
Police have busted a drug ring that operated networks in Cambodia, China and Nigeria to smuggle methamphetamine into South Korea and seized billions of won worth of the drug from its members here, officials said Sunday.
The drug ring, run by a Korean, a Chinese and a Nigerian national, based in Cambodia, China and Nigeria, respectively, is suspected of smuggling and distributing methamphetamine in South Korea between November last year and June, according to the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency.
The police also confiscated 18.7 kilograms of the substance, worth 62.3 billion won ($46.6 million), from ring members in South Korea. The amount is enough for some 620,000 doses.
The officials suspect 35 ring members in South Korea took part in smuggling and supplying the methamphetamine, and have arrested 13 so far.
The Korean national, who ran the network in Cambodia, was apprehended in the Asian country in July, while red notices have been imposed for the foreign suspects by Interpol, according to the police.
All three were found to have previously been punished or deported in South Korea for drug-related crimes.
The police said 38 others have been referred to prosecutors for buying and using methamphetamine supplied by the drug ring. (Yonhap)