Seoul: More than 5,200 drug offenders were apprehended through special crackdowns in the first half of 2026, according to police reports released on Sunday. The police vowed to intensify their efforts against substance-related crimes for the remainder of the year.
According to Yonhap News Agency, 5,203 individuals were rounded up during these operations, with 1,039 arrests made. This reflects a 7.8 percent increase compared to the same period last year. Of those apprehended, 39.2 percent were involved in the production, smuggling, and sales of drugs, a rise from 36.4 percent in the previous year.
Additionally, the data revealed that 41.9 percent of the offenders were linked to online substance-related crimes, up from 36.8 percent the previous year. The number of foreign drug offenders reached 848, which is an increase of 114 from last year.
Police efforts also led to the recovery of 3.84 billion won (approximately US$2.66 million) in criminal proceeds related to these crimes during the first half of the year. Looking ahead, the police have announced plans to bolster their investigations into online crimes and offenses involving foreign nationals in the second-half crackdowns, scheduled to commence Monday and continue through December.
As part of these efforts, special teams will be deployed to target drug transactions conducted via virtual assets and social media channels, such as Telegram.