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![The Jeonnam Provincial Police Agency’s narcotics crime unit said June 30 it had detained 32 Thai nationals on suspicion of violating the Narcotics Control Act. They are alleged to have smuggled in methamphetamine and yaba into Korea and distributed the drugs nationwide. Photo unrelated to story. [GETTY IMAGES BANK]](https://image.koreajoongangdaily.com/12078647.jpg?imageId=12078647&width=240&height=184&format=webp&format=jpg)
![Police in Yeongdeungpo District, western Seoul, show cutting boards used in smuggling drugs into the country at its headquarters on Tuesday. Police say they caught 27 members of a drug ring, including Korean, Chinese and Malaysian nationals. The gang smuggled 74 kilograms of drugs, such as meth, into Korea. The drugs are estimated to have been worth 222 billion won (nearly $165 million). The meth was placed in the cutting boards by the Malaysian organization, smuggled into the country by the Korean members and distributed by the Chinese members. The criminal ring was discovered while investigating a drug user in her 30s in late July. [YONHAP]](https://image.koreajoongangdaily.com/10064239.jpg?imageId=10064239&width=240&height=184&format=webp&format=jpg)
![A police officer shows one of the windowsills in the residential area where drug carriers hid the packages of drugs. [GYEONGNAM PROVINCIAL POLICE]](https://image.koreajoongangdaily.com/10587144.jpg?imageId=10587144&width=240&height=184&format=webp&format=jpg)