Since September, residents of Jeju Island in South Korea have discovered small packages resembling bags of Chinese tea that, upon examination, contained ketamine. Authorities have reported finding approximately 28 kilograms (62 pounds) of ketamine, wrapped in foil and marked with the Chinese character for tea, across at least eight separate incidents.
Ketamine is primarily used as an anesthetic in medical procedures; however, its recreational use is illegal in South Korea and can lead to serious physical and mental health issues. In response to these discoveries, the Jeju Coast Guard has established a team to investigate potential sea and land routes that may have facilitated the drug’s entry into the country.
Authorities are cautioning residents against handling any suspicious objects found on the beaches, urging them to report such items to the police instead. On October 15, 20 kilograms of this drug, which is being referred to as “tea bag drugs,” were found along the coast in Seogwipo, marking the largest single haul in the past two months.
A search operation involving over 800 soldiers, police officers, and civilian volunteers has been deployed across the northern coast of Jeju City. Investigators are considering the possibility that the drugs may have arrived via ocean currents. Notably, similar cases of “tea bag drugs” have also been reported in Pohang, South Korea, and Tsushima Island in Japan.
Local residents have expressed concern regarding the presence of these substances along their coastlines. Some believe that criminal organizations may be using methods such as “sea bumps,” in which drug bundles equipped with tracking devices are dropped into the ocean for later collection. This could exploit potential weaknesses in inspection processes at South Korean airports and ports for smuggling purposes.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c93d4y8ggvqo?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss