Delayed Transfer of Investigation Equipment to Major Crimes Agency Sparks Concerns Over Loss of Expertise

A gap is emerging in the Major Crimes Investigation Agency's (MCIA) investigations because key drug investigation equipment remains solely with the Prosecution Service (formerly the Supreme Prosecutors' Office). It was confirmed on the 13th that the MCIA, launched on the 2nd, has requested the transfer of equipment such as the 'E-Drug Monitor' from the Prosecution Service but has yet to receive it.

The E-Drug Monitor is an artificial intelligence (AI) system introduced by the prosecution in 2023 that automatically searches online for drug-related keywords around the clock. It detects and records drug trafficking activity not only on social media but also on the dark web—an anonymized network—and accumulates sales histories, making it regarded as a core tool in drug investigations.

The Prosecution Service says that while the transfer of some equipment has been decided as a first step, other equipment, including the E-Drug Monitor system, is still under review. An official from the Prosecution Service explained that the equipment could be transferred later through coordination with relevant agencies. A Ministry of Justice official noted that because the Prosecution Service falls under the Ministry of Justice while the MCIA is under the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, the differing parent agencies make equipment transfer no simple matter.

Rep. Park Sang-woong of the People Power Party raised the issue at a National Assembly audit of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety on the 6th and requested a list of equipment yet to be transferred to the MCIA, but said he was unable to obtain the data on grounds of investigation security.

Lee Young-hoon, a lawyer at law firm W&One who prosecuted the case of a drug ring at a prestigious university during his time as a prosecutor, pointed out that the serious crime investigation expertise the prosecution built up over years of time and expense is now being reset to zero. He warned that without constructive discussions on the transfer of personnel and equipment, the MCIA's rushed, underprepared launch could become entrenched.