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Customs officials in the South Korean port city of Busan have reported the arrest of two individuals accused of receiving cryptocurrency from a Telegram-based “drug lord” in exchange for smuggling drugs.
According to South Korean media outlets Gukje Information and Sky E Each day, authorities from the Busan Main Customs Office indicated that they apprehended a man and a woman, both reportedly in their twenties.
The officials do not believe the two are acquainted with each other. However, they suspect that both were recruited by the same “drug lord” through an open Telegram channel.
South Korean Customs Officials: Drug Lord Compensated Smugglers in Cryptocurrency
The customs office announced that the individuals have been charged with offenses under the Narcotics Control Act.
A Korean-language Telegram open channel that South Korean customs officials believe a ‘drug lord’ utilized to recruit smugglers as ‘part-time workers.’ (Source: Busan Main Customs Office)
Authorities suspect that the operator of the Telegram channel “advertised” on the platform, presenting the “opportunity” as a “high-paying part-time job.”
In total, officials reported that the pair smuggled over 7kg of narcotics into the country. They may also have been involved in distributing drugs to users or local dealers in South Korea.
In one instance, one of the alleged “drug smugglers” was accused of “attempting to import at least 700g of highly concentrated liquid marijuana” into the country from the United States via South Korea’s Incheon International Airport.
This individual also reportedly “received” 4.5kg of synthetic marijuana from Vietnam.
The other individual imported 1.2kg of synthetic marijuana from Vietnam and subsequently assisted in “distributing it” to buyers in several cities, including Suwon.
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Narcotics seized by Busan-based customs officers. (Source: Busan Main Customs Office)
Telegram Open Channel Used as Recruitment Tool, Say Officials
Officials further stated that the “drug lord mastermind” provided the duo with “specific instructions” through Telegram chats.
The mastermind allegedly compensated the two individuals with cryptocurrency via an “unregistered crypto exchange,” making the transactions “difficult to trace.”
Authorities mentioned that they collaborated on the case with the Gyeonggi Southern Provincial Police Agency and other law enforcement entities.
A Busan Customs official informed reporters that drug traffickers have been targeting “young individuals who are familiar with” social media platforms and cryptocurrency. The spokesperson added:
“Drug traffickers entice young people to engage in narcotics offenses in exchange for substantial amounts of [money or cryptocurrency].”
The South Korean won led most emerging-Asian currencies higher as the US dollar weakened following Germany’s federal election https://t.co/FmpT5NYtNW
— Bloomberg (@enterprise) February 24, 2025
Last year, media outlets reported that Korean-language Telegram channels had become a “crypto-powered narcotics department store” for young South Koreans.
Cryptonews.com has observed numerous recent Korean-language posts on X, directing users to Telegram open channels seemingly managed by drug traffickers.
Most offer “national” delivery of drugs including MDMA, synthetic marijuana, and methamphetamine.
The article South Korean Customs Officers: ‘Smugglers’ Paid Crypto to Import Drugs first appeared on Cryptonews.
