'Allegations of Pressure in Drug Investigation' Joint Prosecutor's Team Searches National Investigation Headquarters

Prosecutor General's Office [Yonhap News File Photo]

The joint prosecutor's team investigating the 'allegations of pressure in the Incheon Customs drug investigation' searched the National Investigation Headquarters of the Police Agency on the 21st.

The joint investigation team of the Prosecutor General's Office sent investigators to the Drug and Organized Crime Division of the National Investigation Headquarters on the morning of the same day to secure relevant documents.

The allegations of pressure in the Incheon Customs drug investigation claim that while Yeongdeungpo Police Station launched an investigation in late January 2023 after securing statements that customs officials were involved in the smuggling of approximately 74 kg of methamphetamine by Malaysian suspects, high-ranking officials from the Presidential Office, police, and the Korea Customs Service exerted pressure to cover up the case. There are also allegations that the prosecution interfered with the investigation by Yeongdeungpo Police Station at the time.

Baek Hae-ryong, former head of the Yeongdeungpo Police Station's Criminal Division (Senior Superintendent), who was in charge of the investigation, testified in the National Assembly in July last year that Cho Byung-no, then Superintendent of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency's Public Security Division, requested the omission of the involvement of Incheon Customs officials from the press release on the drug investigation results. He also stated that he received instructions from the then Yeongdeungpo Police Station Chief to postpone the drug investigation briefing, along with the remark that "Yongsan knows about this case and is taking it seriously."

In June, the Prosecutor General's Office formed a joint investigation team of about 20 members, including participants from the prosecution, police, the National Tax Service, and the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU), and commenced the investigation. In the same month, they searched about 10 locations, including Incheon Customs and the residences of customs officials suspected of involvement in the smuggling. Yonhap News