Pubdate: Thu, 09 Jun 2005
Source: Joonang Daily (Korea)
Copyright: 2005 Joins.com, Inc
Contact:  http://joongangdaily.joins.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3713

CUSTOMS REPORTS RISE IN ILLICIT DRUGS IN MAIL

The Korea Customs Service said yesterday it had found 19 cases of narcotics
smuggling into Korea by international mail or express shipping services this
year through May, nearly double that of the same period of last year. It
added that the number of cases uncovered where drugs were carried by hand
declined to 13 from 14. Of 35 cases investigated, 40 percent involved
marijuana, of which more than 70 percent was smuggled by mail or express
shipping services from the United States and Canada.

Many of the recipients were English teachers from the two countries,
working in local private institutes, who got the drugs for their own
consumption, the agency said. Methamphetamines, representing 57
percent of the cases, were smuggled mainly by Koreans from Asian countries.
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MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin