As drug trafficking is rising as a nationwide problem, South Korean prosecutors will form a drug squad which will specifically monitor the dark web and its illegal drug trade, reported local news outlets referring to an official document submitted by the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office on Thursday.
According to the reports, the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office plans to launch a dedicated team of 15 personnel in three different regions in order to restrain drug trafficking which allegedly occurs through the dark web. The team will be installed in the District Prosecutors’ Office of each region, including Seoul, Incheon, and Busan, as early as January 2023. These regions are the gateways to South Korea since they have international airports and harbors.
The drug squad on the dark web will reportedly focus on analyzing internet search records and IP addresses, in addition to tracking cryptocurrency.
There are estimated to be 250,000 South Korean daily users of the dark web. The Korean prosecutors believe a great number of the users access the dark web for unlawful purposes, such as buying drugs. Last year, Korean law enforcement seized 1295.7kg (2856.5lbs) of drugs, which was an increase of eight times, compared to 2017.
“If our nation does not start a war on drugs immediately, we will soon be dominated by drugs,” Yoo Sang-bum, a member of the South Korean National Assembly’s legislation and judiciary committee, told a local reporter, elaborating on the document.
