Drug crimes by foreigners tripled in 2008: white paper

SEOUL, Aug. 11 (Yonhap) -- The number of foreigners booked in South Korea for
drug-related crimes tripled to 928 between 2007 and 2008, a government report
showed Tuesday.
Violators came from 29 countries worldwide and were punished on charges of
trafficking or using banned substances such as marijuana, opium, cocaine and
methamphetamine, according to the 2008 narcotic crimes white paper published by
the Supreme Prosecutors' Office.
Thai nationals accounted for 76.6 percent, or 711, of the total number, followed
by citizens of the U.S. (63), China (43) and Russia (19), said the paper.
"A growing number of Americans and Chinese are using methamphetamine, and many
Thai workers are being found in possession of new types of drugs," said the
paper. "The number of those caught smoking marijuana from English-speaking
countries such as the U.S. and Canada has been on a steady rise."
The document also noted that authorities seized some 22.4 kilograms of
methamphetamine, one of the most widely used narcotics in South Korea, up 20.6
percent from 2007.
Although nearly 95 percent of the total had until 2007 been smuggled in mainly
from China, those involved in the drug trade here have recently diversified their
import sources to include Turkey, South Africa and Malaysia.
"We should tighten customs inspections at airports and ports and establish an
international network to clamp down on dealers," said an official with the
prosecution.
Under South Korean law, drug dealers can be sentenced to a minimum five years in
prison or a maximum life imprisonment, while drug users can face a five-year
prison term or up to 50 million won (US$33,300) in fines.
brk@yna.co.kr
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