A criminal network has been busted for smuggling psychoactive drugs, including ketamine and ecstasy, from Poland via international mail and selling them to Vietnamese nationals illegally residing in the U.S.

The Busan Police Department held a press conference on Wednesday, announcing the arrest of 35 individuals, including patrons and entertainment workers, involved in the smuggling, distribution, and sale of these narcotics.

Police investigators received intelligence last October about Vietnamese nationals illegally staying in the country distributing ecstasy and ketamine at entertainment venues such as karaoke bars.

They launched an investigation after gathering information from the Busan Immigration Office and other relevant agencies.

Through collaboration with intelligence agencies and the immigration special investigation unit, authorities apprehended a Vietnamese dealer in his 20s, identified as suspect A.

Law enforcement obtained statements from A, along with forensic data from his mobile device and financial records, leading them to track down other Vietnamese accomplices involved in drug smuggling, distribution, and consumption.

Consequently, from October of last year to August of this year, police arrested 35 drug offenders, including 33 Vietnamese nationals and 2 U.S. citizens, some of whom were naturalized. Of these, 13 Vietnamese and 1 American have been taken into custody.

Furthermore, authorities seized 17.67 grams (about 0.62 oz) of ecstasy and 48.7 grams (about 1.7 oz) of ketamine, and identified the source of 199.55 grams (about 7 oz) of ketamine that customs had intercepted while being smuggled into the country in 2024. The street value of the ketamine is estimated at 100 million KRW (about 73,000 USD), while the ecstasy is worth approximately 2 million KRW (about 1,460 USD).

The group utilized the Vietnamese messaging app Zalo for communication and obtained locations and drug paraphernalia from owners of Vietnamese karaoke bars operating in Busan, Ulsan, Changwon, and Cheonan. They also employed tactics to evade financial scrutiny by using Vietnamese banks.

Initially centered in Busan, Ulsan, and Gyeongnam, the operation expanded when suspect B relocated from Ulsan to Cheonan. After moving, B began running a billiards hall in the area and allegedly distributed drugs using a throw and runmethod via taxi during nighttime hours.

Looking ahead, the Busan Police Department's Drug and International Crime Investigation Unit plans to implement a targeted drug enforcement period in the latter half of the year. They will maintain collaborative efforts with customs and immigration offices to gather pertinent intelligence.

Additionally, authorities will pursue international cooperation to apprehend accomplices based in Poland and Vietnam connected to this case.

A criminal network has been busted for smuggling psychoactive drugs, including ketamine an …

35 Arrested in Major Drug Bust: How Vietnam's Ketamine and Ecstasy Trade Operates in South Korea