South Korea Seizes Over 650 kg of Illegal Drugs in Major Crackdown

In a major crackdown, South Korea's customs authorities reported the seizure of over 650 kilograms of illegal drugs from Cambodia and Thailand during the first quarter of the year. This operation, part of a collaborative effort with customs agencies from both countries, highlights the ongoing battle against drug trafficking. The seized narcotics, which include methamphetamine and marijuana, could potentially serve around 1.8 million people. The KCS is committed to preventing any illegal drugs from entering the country and is working to trace the supply routes of these substances. Read on to learn more about this significant operation and its implications.

By Narendra Chaudhary Apr 23, 2026, 11:35 IST

Significant Drug Seizures at South Korean Border

Representational Image

Seoul, April 23: In a significant operation, South Korea's customs officials announced on Thursday that they confiscated over 650 kilograms of illicit drugs originating from Cambodia and Thailand during the first quarter of the year. This was part of a coordinated effort with customs agencies from both nations.

During the period from January to March, a total of 657 kg of narcotics were seized, enough to potentially serve around 1.8 million individuals, as reported by the Korea Customs Service (KCS).

The drugs included methamphetamine, marijuana, and etomidate, a sedative agent, among the 32 cases identified through these joint investigations.

Out of these, 28 cases involving 651.4 kg of narcotics were detected in collaboration with Thai authorities under a joint operation named "TRIDENT," according to reports from local news sources.

This quantity represents the largest haul from a single operation since the commencement of these joint efforts in 2022, the agency noted.

In total, 14 cases involving 1,037 kg of illegal substances have been uncovered during the five joint investigations conducted to date.

Regarding Cambodia, authorities reported four cases involving 5.7 kg of illegal drugs under operation "LIONSTONE," which took place from January 26 to February 28.

Since last year, South Korea and Cambodia have been collaborating closely to thwart traffickers from shifting their drug supply routes to neighboring countries, as stated by the KCS.

Lee Myeong-ku, the commissioner of KCS, emphasized the commitment to prevent "even a single dose" of illegal drugs from entering South Korea, and mentioned plans to collaborate with relevant government bodies to trace the supply routes of these narcotics.