Major Drug Bust: 720 Kg of Cocaine Discovered Concealed in Container Ship at Busan Port

South Korean officials recently intercepted a staggering 720 kilograms of cocaine from a container ship docked at Busan New Port. this marks the second significant drug bust in just over a month, highlighting an alarming trend.

The ship, weighing in at 95,390 tons and flying the Maltese flag, arrived on May 10 after its journey from South America. Thanks to a tip-off from the U.S.Drug Enforcement Management (DEA), customs agents conducted an extensive search and discovered the hidden stash within one of its containers.

According to Busan Regional Customs, this haul could provide around 24 million doses if we consider an average dose size of 30 milligrams. The street value? A jaw-dropping estimate of about 360 billion Korean won or roughly $254 million.

Following this revelation, authorities detained the vessel and began questioning its operators while launching investigations to trace where this cocaine originated and its intended destination. Officials are still piecing together whether South Korea was merely a stopover or part of a larger smuggling operation.

Historically viewed as having low drug trafficking rates—often dubbed “drug-free”—South Korea is now witnessing shifts in trafficking patterns as criminals appear to be targeting Asia more aggressively.

This isn’t an isolated incident; earlier in April, customs officers seized one ton of cocaine from another cargo ship—a Norwegian vessel that had also made its way from South America—at Okgye Port in Gangneung. That seizure was monumental; it was valued at around 1 trillion won and represented approximately 100 million doses—the largest drug bust ever recorded in South Korea!

Investigators revealed that this Norwegian ship had left Mexico before picking up drugs off Peru en route to Panama. Out of the crew members aboard—20 filipinos—two were arrested on April 25 and are currently under investigation.Experts suggest these increased smuggling attempts may stem from heightened border security measures across North America. With stricter regulations making it tougher for traffickers there, ports like Busan are becoming attractive alternatives for moving narcotics into Asia or beyond.

Earlier this year, authorities found another stash: In January alone, they discovered 100 kilograms concealed within the sea chest—a submerged intake unit—of a Korean cargo vessel docked at Busan New Port. Investigators believe these drugs likely originated in Central or South America without any involvement from the crew itself; they speculated that China or Europe might have been potential destinations for those shipments too.

In yet another case back in April last year, customs officials uncovered about 33 kilograms worth approximately 16.5 billion won hidden inside containers arriving directly from the United states.

A representative from Busan Customs indicated that recent smuggling activities seem linked to traffickers seeking new pathways into Asia due to increasing enforcement efforts across American borders. Investigations continue regarding whether this latest batch aboard the Malta-flagged ship was destined for local consumption or involved domestic buyers altogether.While details about the specific containership remain undisclosed during ongoing investigations led by local prosecutors, officials emphasize their commitment to enhancing monitoring systems for international cargo traffic aimed at thwarting future smuggling endeavors through Korean ports.