Confiscated narcotics jump over 20 pct in H1

SEOUL, July 14 (Yonhap) -- The amount of confiscated narcotics in South Korea
jumped over 20 percent in the first half of this year on increased large-scale
smuggling attempts, customs officials said Tuesday.
According to the Korea Customs Service, a total of 26.6 kilograms of narcotics
had been confiscated during the January-June period, up 24 percent from the same
period a year earlier.
The amount is worth around 45.2 billion won (US$35 million), up 145 percent from
a year ago, and is enough to be administered to 520,000 people, the office
explained.
Confiscated methamphetamine and marijuana amounting to 14.7 kilograms and 11.2
kilograms, respectively, take up the largest portion. Ecstasy or MDMA followed
with a total of 300 grams being confiscated during the first half, it added.
The increase is attributed to a clampdown on large-scale drug trafficking. A
total of 23 crackdowns on attempts to smuggle in over 100 grams of narcotics were
reported during the first half, which accounted for 36 percent of the total 64
cases, the office said.
kokobj@yna.co.kr
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