Media reported on April 28 that drug syndicates using virtual currency are turning Korean-language Telegram channels into “drug department stores” and “playgrounds” for South Korean youth.
Newspapers such as Seoul Kyongjae reported that almost a year has passed since South Korean President Yoon Seok-yeol called for an “all-out war” against drug trafficking using virtual currencies.
Yun's comments came after police reported dozens of drug deals involving people in their teens and twenties.
But it now appears that some Telegram channel operators are aware that police are monitoring their channels and are responding by openly “teasing detectives.”
🇰🇷 South Korea is “in trouble due to drug contamination caused by virtual currency” – Report
Click here for the overview👇
— Cryptonews.com (@cryptonews) February 2, 2024
Telegram’s crypto-based drug “playground”
cryptonews.com We have witnessed numerous Telegram channels that appear to be openly advertising “nationwide” drug deliveries of methamphetamine, ecstasy, and other drugs.
and cryptonews.com We have also observed dozens of X (Twitter) Korean accounts directing social media users to these Telegram channels.
All operators appear to include photos of drug bags and Telegram handles in their posts with impunity.
In either case, cryptonews.com was able to easily find these channels and accounts by searching for commonly used Korean slang words related to methamphetamine and other drugs.
The outlet claimed that Telegram had effectively become an online “department store” for young drug buyers.
It also pointed out that in a post on a popular channel, a drug distribution organization “taunted” police officers, writing:
“Detectives, if you want to be promoted faster than your colleagues, please contact us and we will help you find it.” [people to arrest]”
The poster mocked the detectives, jokingly saying they could offer officers “wholesale” prices.
Drug dealers pay with virtual currency to “hire staff”
The media added that the Telegram channel has become a de facto employment agency for young people, promoting “posts” that pay in virtual currency, such as “dead drop delivery man”.
Dealers typically use “dead drop” techniques to deliver drugs. They leave bags of drugs in public places such as apartment stairs, fire hydrants, and flower beds.
Then, notify the buyer of the location of the hiding place once the buyer has safely left the area.
The “recruiters” behind these “job ads” appear to collect sensitive data from “staff”, collecting social security numbers and “family verification documents.”
Will blockchain monitoring tools help Korean police?
Despite a significant increase in the number of arrests and several successful police investigations into drug crimes involving cryptocurrencies, police have privately acknowledged that it remains “difficult to trace Telegram users.”
Authorities have spent millions of dollars on blockchain network monitoring tools and Telegram surveillance.
It worked, with police announcing major raids in Busan and the Philippines last week.
Officers arrested 49 people in the raid, which claimed the group operated 11 Telegram channels and used cryptocurrencies as a payment tool.
In any case, the majority of similar channels appear to be up and running as of this writing. The outlet claimed that many Telegram chat rooms “seem to have degenerated into a 'playground' for drug suppliers.”
Are there other technology solutions that can help police?
Law enforcement authorities are turning to more IT solutions to try to turn the tide of the war.
Late last year, the Supreme Public Prosecutor's Office launched an AI-powered drug monitoring software solution that has since been delivered to 18 district prosecutors' offices.
The solution looks through images and text on Telegram, Facebook, Tumblr, Pinterest, and Instagram apps for drug-related content.
South Korean law enforcement agencies also send investigators overseas because most drugs arrive in the country from Southeast Asia.
South Korea is sending its officials overseas to work with Thailand's National Narcotics Bureau. The South Korean government also plans to send agents to work with pharmaceutical companies in Malaysia and Indonesia.
The central government also increased the budget for the Supreme Prosecutor's Office, doubling its annual allocation to nearly $6 million.
However, critics say this increase is “still not enough” as drug-related crimes using cryptocurrencies “are increasing year on year.”
Just 6 days ahead of its retail expansion plans, crypto exchange https://t.co/1aQemhmjuy has postponed its launch in South Korea to allow for further communication with regulators https://t .co/JL9DzJk37Y
— Bloomberg (@business) April 23, 2024
One lawyer told the media that the low prices of drugs in Southeast Asia were proving “too attractive” for many people.
Smugglers can make huge profits by selling drugs from Southeast Asia in South Korea.
The lawyer concluded that “digital forensic technology” was helping police, but acknowledged there were still significant “limitations”.
