SEOUL: Two men in their 30s were recently indicted for illegally cultivating cannabis at an underground farming facility in South Korea, as part of a sweeping raid conducted by the joint government drug crime investigation headquarters.
The suspects are accused of growing and distributing cannabis between September and February under instructions from a seller on the dark web, which is not accessible through conventional search engines or web browsers.
The main suspect had been selected as a beneficiary of a government programme subsidising smart farms, which use advanced technologies and data to improve productivity.
The suspects initially began operating as legitimate farmers in January 2024 using a low-interest loan obtained through the government programme. But they later turned to cultivating illegal crops after accumulating significant debt.
They received monthly vouchers worth one million won (US$680) and electricity bill discounts while growing cannabis.
The authorities found them storing 2.8kg of cannabis at the time of their arrest. A greenhouse had been installed above the underground facility to conceal the operation.
The cultivation, distribution and sale of cannabis are punishable under South Korea’s Narcotics Control Act.
According to the drug investigation headquarters, officials apprehended 124 suspects and detained 56 in the first 100 days since the task force was launched on Nov 21.
This included 15 arrests linked to three drug smuggling rings operating in Vietnam.
Officials said they will continue to work with related agencies both domestically and overseas, as most of the drugs circulating in South Korea originate from abroad.
The pan-government crackdown involves the police, prosecution, Coast Guard, Seoul Metropolitan Government, Korea Immigration Service, Korea Customs Service, National Intelligence Service and the Financial Intelligence Unit. - The Korea Herald/ANN
