South Korean Police Arrest 90 in Raid on ‘Crypto-powered Drug Gang’
South Korean police have arrested 90 people on suspicion of using crypto to help them sell drugs in bars and clubs all over the country. According to the South Korean news outlet Money Today, the suspected gang members are all Vietnamese nationals.
The Busan Metropolitan Police Agency arrested the group on suspicion of violating the Narcotics Control Act, and 18 suspects have been remanded in custody. The officers said they had been monitoring the suspects since September last year.
The investigation was initiated following a drugs crackdown on nine Vietnamese-run bars and clubs in the cities of Sejong, Daegu, Cheonan, Asan, and Jincheon. The police stated that the gang smuggled drugs into South Korea and distributed them in the bars and other clubs. The gang members disguised their illegal cargo as packets of coffee and vitamins and entered South Korea on education, employment, or marriage visas. However, some of the suspects are illegal residents.
The police estimate that the gang brought 1.04 billion won ($721,000) worth of narcotics into the country and sold 710 million won (almost half a million USD) worth to club and bar patrons. The gang used crypto as a payment tool for selling, smuggling, and sourcing the drugs, including synthetic marijuana, ketamine, and MDMA (ecstasy). They also organized private parties to promote their illegal wares.
The police have informed several local government bodies about the details of the crackdown and plan to take action against the buyers who took drugs at the bars and clubs involved. They also intend to identify and arrest more intermediaries by analyzing the suspects’ cell phones. The police force plans to conduct regular crackdowns on clubs and entertainment venues frequently visited by foreign nationals to prevent the spread of drugs and drug abuse.
South Korean law enforcement has been fighting a worsening epidemic of crypto-powered drug crime. Recent Korean-language posts on social media networks X and Telegram have shown drug dealers offering nationwide drug delivery, with some mentioning Bitcoin (BTC) as the only accepted payment for the deliveries. South Korean media outlets have reported that crypto-powered drug gangs have turned Korean-language Telegram channels into “drugs department stores,” which have become a playground for young South Koreans.