South Korean Police Raid captures 178 Darkweb Crypto Drug Users

South Korean police raid captures 78 people on suspicion of using crypto assets to acquire and sell narcotics online.

According to JTBC, Seoul Metropolitan Police officers said in a statement that they have arrested 12 suspected drug sellers and 166 of their customers. All of these have used darkweb platforms and crypto payments.

The authorities also claimed to have confiscated tokens, around USD 8,500 in cash, 12kg of marijuana, and considerable quantities of narcotics such as synthetic cannabinoids, ketamine, and MDMA.

A number of the drug purchases appear to have been made in bitcoin (BTC), and the great majority of accused drug purchasers were characterized as being in their 20s and 30s, with a minor number of those aged 40 to 59.

The detectives said that the suspects had all used a darkweb portal that enabled would-be dealers to post for free but charged a 10% fee on all transactions – which were paid in crypto and completed through the platform.

Police have stated that the drug dealers have all been identified. The South Korean police raid didn’t capture the operators of the darkweb portal, as they have escaped detection.

According to police officials, the network used darkweb technologies, cryptoassets, and chat systems such as Telegram, making it a logical choice for younger people – and less appealing to older people.

Officers also issued a warning saying that many youths who are very internet literate, can easily buy drugs online, but they are lulled into a false sense of security because they often believe they cannot be traced by law enforcement. The issued warning is as follows:

“Young people with high levels of internet literacy can easily buy narcotics online. But while they may think they leave no trace of their actions if they buy narcotics using crypto assets, this isn’t the case. We have launched a dedicated investigation team and offenders will eventually be caught.”

South Korea is known for very strict drug regulations. This is not that uncommon as lots of East Asian countries have very strict drug laws. The Darkweb and Cryptosset Special Investigation Team was recently created by the police department.

Officers also stated that they suspect certain darkweb users may have connections to some of Seoul’s busiest nightclubs.

According to Newsis, a police spokeswoman promised to “identify darkweb operators” and “extend” the police’s “probe,” as well as look into “whether or not these operators are affiliated to big clubs and entertainment venues in Seoul.”

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