Police said Wednesday that 20 kilograms of ketamine were found on a Jeju Island beach.
According to Jeju Coast Guard officials, a beach cleaner in Seongsan-eup, Seogwipo, discovered a suspicious-looking package on Oct. 7 that appeared to have washed ashore and reported it to authorities. The package, wrapped in foil and transparent vinyl in brick-like shapes, was labeled with the Chinese character for “tea.”
The Coast Guard sent the substance to the National Forensic Service, which later identified it as ketamine. A dissociative anesthetic used to relieve pain, ketamine is classified as a narcotic in South Korea because it can cause visual and auditory hallucinations.
The ketamine was found packaged in one-kilogram units. Based on a standard single dose of 0.03 grams, 20 kg is enough to supply about 660,000 doses, roughly equivalent to the entire population of the island.
Maritime police are continuing to search the waters near where the ketamine was found and plan to investigate possible links to an international drug cartel in cooperation with the US Drug Enforcement Administration.
shinjh@heraldcorp.com
