Six indicted for smuggling drugs in teddy bear, other objects
Six people, including three Malaysian nationals, were indicted Tuesday for smuggling drugs into the country inside various objects through international mail, according to Daejeon District Prosecutors’ Office.
The Prosecutors’ Office announced three smuggling cases, each using different objects — a paintbrush bucket, coffee bags and teddy bears — to sneak in drugs from overseas.
A suspect in his 50s smuggled 2,003 grams of methamphetamine, known as philopon in Korea, from Cambodia in May. The drugs were hidden in a paintbrush bucket. It was the largest drug seizure by the Daejeon High Prosecutors’ Office in its history.
A Malaysian national in his 20s, with two accomplices, illegally brought in 287.2 grams of methamphetamine through express cargo in June. They used coffee bags to hide the drugs.
The same month, two other suspects were caught trying to smuggle in 432.89 grams of marijuana from the United States. The authorities found the drugs stuffed inside a teddy bear.
Daejeon District Prosecutors’ Office stated that the perpetrators in all three cases were caught through close cooperation with the customs authority at Incheon International Airport. The suspects were indicted accordingly on drug charges and an additional law on punishment for specific crimes.