Over 60 Foreign Students Arrested for Selling Smuggled Drugs

Sixty-six foreign nationals from Southeast Asia have been arrested by police for secretly bringing drugs into the country and selling them. About half were enrolled at South Korean universities — a warning sign that drug distribution on campuses is drawing ever closer to our daily lives.

The suspects mainly used the so-called "throwaway" method, hiding drugs at a prearranged spot in advance. The drugs were concealed inside protective cases for electricity meters, exploiting the fact that people rarely check them.

The arrestees operated in seven separate organizations, selling a single dose for around 100,000 won. Buyers located sellers by searching Telegram for coded terms like "candy," and some sellers even posted ads to advertise their products.

The drugs seized by police include 4,100 ecstasy pills and 1.6 kilograms of ketamine, worth an estimated 800 million won. Police said they have detained and referred 30 suppliers involved in distribution and sales, and are tracking down the ringleader who ordered the crimes.