Thousands of drug offenders have been apprehended in Korea during a three-month-long special crackdown, police said on Friday.

A total of 3,670 people involved in drug-related crimes were apprehended between March and May, with 909 officially arrested.

The National Police Agency’s intensive crackdown, launched in March, is expected to run through July.The number of apprehended drug offenders rose 21 percent on year, while that of arrested suspects surged 78.6 percent.

According to Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police on Friday, a total of 17 people accused of selling drugs and 40 accused of using them have been apprehended after police investigated four popular clubs in the Gangnam area in southern Seoul.

Ten have been officially arrested.

Three workers at the club are suspected of selling drugs, including ketamine, to high-spending customers who purchased some 12 million won ($9,400) in high-end booze. One such customer had already been caught by police at Incheon International Airport after attempting to smuggle in some 447.3 grams of ketamine from Thailand.

Police seized drugs, including ketamine, after investigating four clubs in the Gangnam area in southern Seoul. [GYEONGGI NAMBU PROVINCIAL POLICE AGENCY]

Another three drug offenders were caught by police after allegedly smuggling drugs through international shipping. They are suspected of shipping drugs from Thailand and the United States by hiding them in bicycle saddles and kitchenware.

The drugs were dropped at designated locations, picked up and delivered to alleged sellers through courier service from express bus terminals.

During the crackdown, police seized some 37.9 kilograms (84 pounds) of methamphetamines, commonly known as meth or philopon in Korea, about tenfold the amount confiscated in the same period last year.

The number of drug-related tips also grew over the same period. A total of 5,875 cases were reported to the 112 emergency hotline this year, a more than fourfold increase on year. Suspects involved in some 366 drug-related cases reported to the emergency hotline were booked by the police this year.

Police also announced they have educated around 950,000 students to prevent drug crimes as the number of young drug offenders rises.

The number of teenage drug offenders rose from just 104 in 2018 to 241 in 2020 and 294 in 2022. This year, a total of 279 teenage suspects involved in drug crimes had already been apprehended by the police through May.

“We are carefully observing the situation as there was quite a high number of teenage drug offenders found during the crackdown,” a police officer said, adding that drugs, including medications, are easily obtained through social media and international shipping.

Authorities are responding strictly and comprehensively to drugs crimes as President Yoon Suk Yeol in April called on the prosecution and police to “track down every suspect involved in the distribution and sale of drugs and confiscate criminal proceeds” after some drug-laced drinks were handed out to passing cram school students in Seoul.

Police will launch a joint investigation with the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety starting next Monday to crack down on illegal use of medications at medical institutes.

BY JUNG-WOO CHO , SEO-YUN JANG [cho.jungwoo1@joongang.co.kr]