South Korean Police Arrest 49 in Crypto-Powered Drugs Trading Gang Raid
South Korean Police Bust Crypto-Powered Drugs Trading Gang, Arrest 49 People
In a recent raid, South Korean police have arrested 49 people in connection with a suspected crypto-powered drugs trading gang. The Busan Police Agency Drug Crime Investigation Unit revealed that the gang had smuggled and sold nearly $1.5 million worth of narcotics to crypto-paying buyers.
The gang’s suspected ringleader, believed to be based in the Philippines, is currently being pursued for repatriation. The group smuggled drugs such as methamphetamine and synthetic marijuana from the Philippines into South Korea, while also selling drugs to buyers in the Philippines.
Police disclosed that the gang used various tactics to evade detection, including concealing drugs inside women’s sanitary products and using drug smugglers to transport the contraband. The gang also operated through 11 different Telegram channels, with customers making payments in cryptocurrency.
The gang arranged dead-drop deliveries of drugs in residential areas chosen by buyers, hiding narcotics in electric terminal boxes and fire hydrants. Police arrested suspected dealers, smugglers, and drug users in both South Korea and the Philippines, seizing 4.8kg of drugs and nearly $41,000 in fiat currency.
Authorities tracked the gang for weeks by analyzing Telegram messages and CCTV footage from over 1,500 units. The Busan Police Agency collaborated with law enforcement agencies in the Philippines, Interpol, and the South Korean National Intelligence Service on the case.
President Yoon Suk-yeol previously declared an “all-out war” on crypto-powered drug trafficking, emphasizing the government’s commitment to combatting drug crimes. With a significant number of arrests made in recent months, South Korean authorities continue to crack down on illegal drug activities facilitated by cryptocurrency transactions.
