|
Korea¡¯s mob is turning to drug trafficking as a new source of revenue after a crackdown on extortion from entertainment businesses, their traditional area of operation, has reduced their profits. In difficult times, some gangs are joining hands with international crime organizations like Japan¡¯s Yakuza, while murder and other retaliatory crimes to punish disloyalty are on the increase, according to prosecutors.
The Narcotics Crime White Paper published by the Supreme Prosecutor¡¯s Office on Tuesday says only six members of five criminal organizations were arrested on narcotics charges in 2003 during a joint crackdown by police and the prosecution. But the figure increased to 50 from 35 gangs in 2004, and still stood at 37 from 34 gangs in 2005.
Prosecutors anticipate that domestic gangsters will increasingly join hand with criminal organizations such as the Mafia in the U.S., Japan¡¯s Yakuza and the Hong Kong Triads. Global drug trafficking rings are increasingly smuggling cocaine to Japan via Korea, which is relatively drug-free, but in a growing number of cases overseas Koreans or Korean tourists have been caught acting as mules.
(englishnews@chosun.com )
|
