Jeju Coast Guard
Some 28kg of ketamine, wrapped in foil and labelled with the Chinese character for tea, have been found in the last two months
Since September, residents on South Korea’s Jeju island have been spotting small packs of what appear to be bags of Chinese tea washed ashore. Upon closer inspection, however, they were found to contain ketamine.
Some 28kg (62 lbs) of the drug, wrapped in foil and labelled with the Chinese character for tea, have been found on at least eight occasions, police say.
Ketamine is used as an anaesthetic in medical procedures, but its recreational use is illegal in South Korea. It can cause severe physical and mental damage, including to the heart and lungs, when misused.
The Jeju Coast Guard has formed a team to trace possible sea and land routes through which the drugs may have entered the country.
Authorities have also warned residents not to touch or open any suspicious objects found along the shore, asking them to instead report such discoveries to police.