South Korean authorities have seized two tons of cocaine hidden on a Norwegian-flagged vessel, marking the country’s largest drug bust.
The discovery was made after intelligence from U.S. agencies led to a major search operation.
The ship, which had traveled from Mexico and made stops in Ecuador, Panama, and China, was intercepted at an east coast port. A team of 90 officers, including drug-sniffing dogs, searched the vessel and uncovered a hidden compartment near the engine room. Inside, they found 56 sacks filled with cocaine, each weighing between 30 and 40 kilograms.
Authorities estimate the street value of the seized drugs at one trillion won ($697 million). The bust is five times larger than South Korea’s previous record drug seizure of 404 kilograms of methamphetamine.
Investigators are now questioning the ship’s captain and crew to determine where the drugs were headed and whether they were linked to international trafficking networks. South Korea is expanding its cooperation with U.S. agencies, including the FBI and Homeland Security Investigations, to track those responsible.
With some of the strictest drug laws in the world, South Korea has historically maintained low drug use. However, authorities remain on high alert as trafficking networks attempt to exploit global shipping routes.