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Over 800 personnel comb through Jeju's shores for ketamine disguised as Chinese tea

Published: 12 Nov. 2025, 16:31

An officer from the Jeju Provincial Police Agency's forensic science unit, accompanied by scent-detection dog Fernando, conducts a search for suspected narcotics along the northern coastal area of Iho-dong in Jeju on the afternoon of Nov. 11. [CHOI CHOONG-IL]

On a windswept beach in Jeju City, more than 800 soldiers, police officers and civilian volunteers combed through the sand Tuesday for small foil-wrapped packets that appeared to be Chinese tea, but weren’t — they were searching for drugs.

“I often bring my children to this beach,” said Kim, a local resident watching the search at Iho Beach. “Seeing so many people looking for drugs is terrifying. I shudder to think that children might touch something like that.”

The large-scale effort, organized by the Jeju Provincial Policy Agency and the Jeju Coast Guard, comes after a series of narcotics discoveries along the island’s shores since late September.

Authorities have been working to locate and remove the packages, which contain ketamine, a powerful anesthetic and hallucinogen banned under Korea’s Narcotics Control Act.

Police, the Jeju Coast Guard, the Marine Corps 9th Brigade, and environmental groups gather at Iho Beach in Jeju on Nov. 11 to launch a joint search for suspected narcotics washed ashore. [CHOI CHOONG-IL]

The joint search force — including police officers, coast guard members, marines, local government officials, customs and intelligence services and environmental cleanup crews — swept rocky shorelines and sandy beaches across Jeju’s northern coast.

Sea, air and land operations

Civilians, police, Coast Guard, the Marine Corps 9th Brigade and environmental group workers conduct a joint search for suspected narcotics along Iho Beach in Jeju on Nov. 11. [CHOI CHOONG-IL]

Authorities focused on three major sections known to collect marine debris in winter: from Hankyeong-myeon to Gwildeok-ri, from Gwakji-ri to Yongduam, and from Jeju Port to Gujwa-eup. The Coast Guard deployed patrol and pollution response boats, as well as underwater drones, to detect any remaining drug packages. Helicopters also conducted aerial surveys of hard-to-reach areas.

Two five-year-old Belgian Malinois detection dogs, Fernando and Diablo, were also brought in by the Jeju Police forensic unit. Normally used for missing persons searches, the dogs are trained to respond to scents, including narcotics, raising hopes for more discoveries.

Disguised as oolong tea

Packages of ketamine disguised as tea bags, which have been found along Jeju’s coastline since late September, are seen in this photo. [JEJU COAST GUARD]

By Tuesday afternoon, environmental workers on Udo, a small island off Jeju’s east coast, recovered a package disguised as Chinese Tieguanyin oolong tea containing roughly one kilogram (2.2 pounds) of suspected drugs. If confirmed to be narcotics, it would mark the tenth drug find along Jeju’s coast since September — all of which have been ketamine.

Around 28 kilograms of ketamine have been found so far, police said.

Some residents voiced frustration at what they saw as a sluggish response. “It’s been more than a month since the first packages appeared, and it feels too late for this kind of search,” said Hyun, another Jeju City resident observing the cleanup. “Collecting what’s already here is important, but authorities should focus on stopping more from drifting in.”

Origins still a mystery

Workers carry out a joint search for suspected narcotics along the northern coastline of Jeju including Iho-dong, on the afternoon of Nov. 11. [CHOI CHOONG-IL]

Investigators are still tracing the drugs’ origins. Kim Young-beom, head of the Jeju Coast Guard’s narcotics investigation unit, said similarly disguised narcotics have been reported in Pohang, North Gyeongsang, on Korea’s southeast coast and on Tsushima Island in Japan.

“Tests showed that the packages float, suggesting they may have traveled here on ocean currents,” Kim said.

'Don't touch, report immediately'

The site where ketamine disguised as tea bags was discovered along the Jeju coast is shown in this photo. [JEJU COAST GUARD]

Authorities plan to continue coastal searches for another week or two to ensure that no more packages reach the public. Officials have warned residents not to touch or open any suspicious objects found along the shore.

Kang Gwi-bong, head of the Jeju Police's violent crimes unit, said law enforcement was concentrating its investigative power on preventing further drug smuggling and distribution on the island.

"Anyone who finds a suspicious item should immediately contact police," Kang said, adding that possession or distribution of narcotics is punishable under Korean law.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY CHOI CHOONG-IL [[email protected]]