South korea: South Korea detected a record volume of illicit drug smuggling incidents in the first half of the year amid tightened inspections, the customs agency said Wednesday. The combined volume of drugs seized came to 767 cases totaling 1,007 kilograms in the January-June period. This is equal to 33.58 million doses, according to the Korea Customs Service.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the agency stated that this volume marked the highest figure for any first-half period for drugs intended for domestic distribution. It detected 509 cases involving 175 kilograms of illicit drugs carried by individual travelers amid tightened surveillance of international parcels.

By type, cannabis was the most seized drug, accounting for 654 kilograms. This was followed by methamphetamine at 230 kilograms, ketamine at 58 kilograms, and cocaine at 2 kilograms. By country of origin, Thailand was identified as the largest source of attempted drug smuggling, with Britain, Canada, and Vietnam also being significant sources.

The data revealed that smugglers aged 39 and younger made up 59.3 percent of the 717 drug offenders caught in the first half, including 14 teenagers. Lee Jong-wook, commissioner of the agency, emphasized the need for stronger measures, saying, "We will raise a strong awareness that all smuggling attempts will be detected at the border." Lee further committed to establishing multiple layers of surveillance across all possible smuggling routes.