South Korean authorities launched an international investigation after a package containing 20kg of ketamine was discovered washed ashore on its popular tourist island of Jeju earlier this month.
According to the Jeju Coast Guard, a member of a marine clean-up team found a suspicious package on a beach in Seongsan-eup, Seogwipo, on 7 October and alerted the authorities, reported The Korea Herald. The package, which appeared to have drifted in from the sea, contained several brick-shaped objects wrapped in foil and clear plastic, each bearing the Chinese character for “tea”.
The contents were sent to the National Forensic Service, which confirmed the substance was ketamine – a dissociative anaesthetic used medically to relieve pain but classified as a narcotic in South Korea for its hallucinogenic effects when misused.
The drugs were divided into 1kg packets, enough for an estimated 660,000 individual doses based on a standard single dose of 0.03g – roughly equal to the population of Jeju Island.
The coast guard has formed a special investigation team and is searching nearby waters to determine how the drugs entered the country.
It has also requested DNA analysis of evidence collected from the packaging and is coordinating with foreign agencies, including the US Drug Enforcement Administration, to trace possible links to international trafficking networks.
The discovery comes amid growing concerns over the influx of illicit drugs through international routes.
In May, police arrested two foreign nationals – a German and a Polish man in their 20s – for smuggling and distributing 52kg of ketamine and 70,000 ecstasy pills in South Korea, reported the Korea Times.
Authorities said the pair were part of a European syndicate that concealed the drugs inside decorative ceramics and shipped them via international courier before repackaging them for local distribution.
Maritime police in Jeju continue to monitor the area and believe the latest find may be connected to a broader global smuggling operation.
