Southeast Asian national arrested for maufacturing, distributing pills made with meth, MDMA
Published: 13 Mar. 2026, 15:58
![Illegal drugs manufactured by a foreign national [SEOUL GANGDONG POLICE STATION]](https://koreaseafood.online/data/photo/2026/03/13/d0cbf58b-d707-4669-aac8-06b99342845d.jpg)
Illegal drugs manufactured by a foreign national [SEOUL GANGDONG POLICE STATION]
A Southeast Asian national was arrested for manufacturing and distributing narcotics — made by mixing methamphetamine and ecstasy, also known as MDMA — in the form of pills.
The Gangdong Police Precinct said on Friday that the suspect, a foreign national from Southeast Asia, was sent to prosecutors on charges of violating the Narcotics Control Act.
The suspect is accused of installing a pill-manufacturing machine in a house in Busan in late January and producing pills by mixing powdered narcotics.
According to the police, he then distributed the pills through the “dead drop” method, in which the suspect hides the drugs in residential areas, and buyers later retrieve them.
Police began their investigation after obtaining intelligence related to narcotics distribution. The suspect was arrested on March 6 and formally detained on Monday.
Officers seized narcotics, including 4,000 pills worth about 1.15 billion won ($772,000), weighing 3.3 kilograms (7.3 pounds) from the suspect’s residence.
![Illegal drugs manufactured by a foreign national [SEOUL GANGDONG POLICE STATION]](https://koreaseafood.online/data/photo/2026/03/13/e47b183d-0ad5-404c-8f9c-306799ac164d.jpg)
Illegal drugs manufactured by a foreign national [SEOUL GANGDONG POLICE STATION]
![Illegal drugs manufactured by a foreign national [SEOUL GANGDONG POLICE STATION]](https://koreaseafood.online/data/photo/2026/03/13/3ea01eec-05a0-40e0-8788-afc8c3586b5b.jpg)
Illegal drugs manufactured by a foreign national [SEOUL GANGDONG POLICE STATION]
The suspect told police that the crime was committed with an unidentified accomplice known in the suspect's home country to cover living expenses.
Police said the confiscated narcotics have been sent to the National Forensic Service for detailed analysis. Investigators are tracing the exact distribution route.
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 HAN YOUNG-HYE [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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