Drug smuggling caught by South Korea‘s customs agency more than doubled in the first half of the year as trafficking via non-contact delivery means rose amid the pandemic, data showed.

A total of 214.2 kilograms of drugs were confiscated in the January-June period, up 153 percent from a year earlier, according to the data from the Korea Customs Service.

Drug smuggling via international mail and cargo sharply increased amid the protracted pandemic, according to the customs office.

By type, the amount of methamphetamine confiscated soared 77 percent on-year to 43.5 kg in the cited period. (Yonhap)