Record amounts of smuggled cigarettes seized

Australian customs seizure of 480,000 packs of smuggled cigarettes. (Korea Customs Service photo)SEOUL, January 7 (AJP) - Record amounts of smuggled cigarettes were seized last year, the Korea Customs Service (KCS) said on Wednesday.

The customs watchdog said it has worked closely with major foreign customs authorities to crack down on multinational smuggling, seizing some 5.16 million packs or 103 tons of cigarettes bound for South Korea in separate cases, the largest since 2021, when about 3.6 million packs were detected.

The massive seizure came after the KCS monitored routes and shipments from suspected cargo in collaboration with overseas authorities in major countries such as China, Taiwan, and the United Kingdom to tackle a recent surge in cigarette smuggling, resulting in the detection of some 50 suspected shipments, including 23 from Australia and five each from Hong Kong and Taiwan.

The KCS expressed concern that such smuggling could be linked to more serious international crimes, such as drug trafficking and arms deals, adding that multinational cooperation among relevant authorities is crucial to stopping them.

It said smugglers often try to export cigarettes disguised as legitimate cargo by transferring them through a third country, a method that can effectively evade customs clearance.

"We will further strengthen cooperation with countries currently forming a joint task force and expand partnership with more countries including those in Southeast Asia as well as Central and South America," a KCS official said.
Kim Seong-seo 기자 biblekim@ajunews.com