Disguised Ketamine “Tea Bags” Keep Washing Up on South Korea’s Jeju Island

Ketamine-Laced “Tea Bags” Keep Washing Ashore on Jeju Island, Sparking Police Investigation

Since September, residents of Jeju Island, South Korea, have been discovering small packets resembling Chinese tea bags washed up on beaches, which authorities later identified as containing ketamine, a controlled substance.

Police report that at least 28 kg (62 lbs) of the drug have been recovered in eight separate incidents. Some packets were found wrapped in foil and labeled with the Chinese character for tea.

Ketamine, a medical anesthetic, is illegal for recreational use in South Korea, and misuse can cause severe damage to the heart, lungs, and mental health.

Authorities Respond

The Jeju Coast Guard has established a team to investigate possible sea and land routes for the drugs. Residents have been warned not to touch suspicious objects but to report them to police immediately.

On 15 October, a beach cleaner discovered 20 kg of the substance along the southern coast of Seogwipo, marking the largest haul in two months.

Earlier this week, over 800 soldiers, police, and volunteers combed the beaches of Jeju City along the northern coast in search of additional packages.

Investigators suspect that some of the drugs may have drifted to Jeju via ocean currents, with similar findings reported in Pohang, South Korea, and Tsushima Island, Japan.

Local Concerns and Expert Insight

Residents have expressed concern about children coming into contact with the drugs. Kim, a Jeju resident, said:
“Seeing so many people looking for drugs is terrifying. I shudder to think that children might touch something like that.”

Prof. Yoon Heung-hee, a drug and alcohol addiction expert at Hansung University, warns that a larger criminal syndicate may be behind the ketamine shipments. Some gangs reportedly use a “sea bump” method, dropping bundles of drugs with trackers into the ocean for later retrieval.

Prof. Yoon added that smugglers could exploit lax inspections at airports and ports, using Jeju as a transit point to distribute narcotics across South Korea.