Customs, Service:, "Party, Drugs", Increase

Take note -- synthetic hash is just as illegal as natural hash.

Lorazepam, Alprazolam, Zolpidem, and other so-called "party pills" are beign smuggled in rapidly increasing numbers, a study has found.

According to the Customs Service (관세청) on the 24th, discoveries of party drugs and designer drugs quadrupled in the past year to 20 incidents involving 2,598 pills.

Not one case involving party pills such as Lorazepam was uncovered last year, but 1,712 such pills were found at Incheon International Airport in international mail or special cargo.

Lorazepam was recently responsible for the overdose death of Michael Jackson and Zolpidem is used as a sleeping aid, but both have side effects including muscle pain, forgetfulness, and confusion.

These drugs have been abused as "rape drugs" in cases where men secretly placed them in the drinks of women whom they then sexually assaulted.

Besides those party pills, 347 MDMA (ecstasy) pills, 269 ketamine pills, 161 yaba pills, and 109 benzylpiperazine pills were discovered.

Nine cases involving 159 grams of synthetic hashish, which was classified as an illegal drug in July of this year.

With smuggling cases of lorazapam and 34 other designer drugs rapidly increasing, the Customers Service has identified 84 websites in the United Kingdom, New Zealand, and elsewhere which sell "party pills", and has requested the Korea Communications Standards Commission (방송통신심의위원회) to block them.

With many cases also of designer drugs being brought in international mail or special cargo disguised as plant food, Customs is increasing its searches.

When the Customs Service discovers drugs which have not been classified as illegal drugs it plans to ask the Korean Food and Drug Administration to classify them as such.