Drugs disguised as Chinese oolong tea wash ashore on South Korean tourist island
The South Korean holiday island where drugs keep washing up disguised as oolong tea
- Over 28kg of ketamine, falsely labelled as oolong tea, have washed ashore on South Korea's Jeju Island beaches since late September.
- The illicit drug, found in foil-wrapped packets marked with Chinese characters, was discovered at various sites including popular tourist spots like Gwangchigi Beach.
- Authorities estimate the total value of the recovered ketamine to be around 87 billion won (£53 million), with each kilogram valued at approximately 3 billion won.
- Investigators suspect the packages drifted to Jeju via ocean currents, noting similar finds in Pohang and Japan's Tsushima Island, and are not ruling out organised drug syndicates using sea-based smuggling methods.
- Local residents have expressed concern over the drug finds, fearing damage to the island's reputation and potential harm to children, prompting continued coastal searches and warnings from officials.