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.

Source: BBC – Drugs disguised as tea keep washing up on this S Korean holiday island

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Muhammed Asif Hafeez was, to many, a man living a life of prestige and respectability. A global businessman, ambassador to a well-known London polo club, and a familiar face among Britain’s elite—including members of the Royal Family—he appeared to be the picture of success and influence.

But behind this polished facade, Hafeez was leading a dark double life. Described by US officials as “one of the world’s most prolific drug traffickers,” he masterminded a sprawling international drug empire from his UK base. Supplying tonnes of heroin, methamphetamine, and hashish sourced from Pakistan and India, Hafeez’s criminal network reached across the globe.

Dubbed “the Sultan” in the underworld, Hafeez used a clever tactic: he played informant, tipping off authorities about rival gangs while eliminating competition for himself. His carefully constructed image as a “morally obliged” whistleblower was, in truth, a cover for his ruthless drug dealings.

From Lahore to London’s High Society

Born in 1958 into a comfortable middle-class family in Lahore, Pakistan, Hafeez’s early life was far from the criminal world he would later dominate. With a father who owned a factory, and personal training as a commercial pilot, Hafeez seemed destined for legitimate success.

In the 1990s, he founded Sarwani International Corporation, a legitimate-sounding umbrella company with subsidiaries spanning Pakistan, the UAE, and the UK. The company sold technical equipment, including drug detection gear, to militaries and police forces worldwide.

Under Sarwani’s banner were various ventures—textiles businesses, an Italian restaurant in Lahore tied to a London brand, and Tipmoor, a UK-based firm specializing in polo and equestrian services. These enterprises funded his luxurious lifestyle and secured him invitations to elite circles, including the prestigious Ham Polo Club. Photographs even show him and his wife mingling with Prince William and Prince Harry in 2009.

But the club distanced itself later, stating Hafeez was never a member and had no current ties.

Cracks in the Facade: Suspicion and Secrets

Former employees and insiders began sensing something was amiss. One ex-staff member in the UAE told the BBC about the strange lack of financial transparency—major deals were paid entirely in cash, with no bank records or paper trails.

Meanwhile, Hafeez’s letters to UK and UAE authorities, in which he reported rival drug cartels, bolstered his guise as an informant. These communications even earned him appreciation letters from government offices.

Yet courts across the UK and Europe saw through this act. They ruled that his tips were a strategic ploy to undermine competitors, not an act of conscience.

The Sting That Brought Down “The Sultan”

The turning point came in 2014 during a covert operation in Mombasa, Kenya. Two associates of Hafeez met a supposed Colombian buyer to showcase “100% pure white crystal heroin,” claiming it came from “the Sultan” himself.

What they didn’t know: the buyer was an undercover DEA agent. The meeting was filmed, marking the start of a major sting operation.

Key figures in the operation included the notorious Akasha brothers—leaders of a violent Kenyan cartel—and their associate, Indian national Vijaygiri “Vicky” Goswami. The DEA intercepted 99kg of heroin and 2kg of methamphetamine delivered to the fake buyers.

Though the Akasha brothers and Goswami were arrested and fought extradition for years, their communications revealed Hafeez as the major supplier—the elusive “Sultan.”

The Final Crackdown

In 2015, Goswami and Hafeez planned a massive methamphetamine production scheme involving the shipment of ephedrine from India to Mozambique. But the plan was foiled when Indian police seized 18 tonnes of ephedrine in 2016.

Hafeez himself was arrested in London in 2017, detained at high-security Belmarsh Prison, and fought extradition to the US for six years. Despite claims that his role as an informant and health issues like diabetes and asthma would put him at risk, courts denied his appeals.

Extradited in May 2023, Hafeez pleaded guilty in November to conspiring to import heroin, methamphetamine, and hashish into the US.

Privilege, Power, and a Prison Sentence

At his sentencing in New York, prosecutors highlighted the stark contrast between Hafeez’s privileged background and the devastating impact of his crimes.

Unlike many traffickers driven by poverty or lack of opportunity, Hafeez chose a life of luxury and power while profiting from deadly drugs that ruin communities worldwide.

He was sentenced to 16 years in prison, with his release expected in 2033.

The Takeaway

Muhammed Asif Hafeez’s story is a cautionary tale of how appearances can deceive. A man who mingled with royalty and portrayed himself as a guardian against crime was, in reality, orchestrating one of the largest drug operations in the world.

His downfall came through international cooperation, undercover operations, and relentless investigation—a reminder that even the most carefully crafted double lives can unravel.

Source: BBC – Polo-loving drug lord’s double life catches up with him

The post The Polo-Loving Drug Lord: Muhammed Hafeez’s Double Life Exposed appeared first on Journos News - Breaking News, World News, Top Stories, Todays Headlines and Flash Reports.

Spotify is facing a serious problem — dozens of fake podcasts are popping up on the platform, promoting illegal online pharmacies that sell prescription drugs without a prescription.

A simple search for “Adderall” on Spotify’s podcast page reveals a mix of legitimate shows about ADHD, addiction recovery, and even comedy, but also dozens of suspicious pages disguised as podcasts. These shady channels link to sites claiming to sell drugs like Adderall, Oxycodone, Vicodin, and more — often without a prescription, which is illegal in the U.S.

A CNN review found dozens of these fake podcasts, with names like “My Adderall Store,” showing up within the first 50 search results. The podcasts promote various medications, from Methadone to Ambien, often advertising “delivery without prescription,” putting users at serious risk.

Spotify’s Response: Rapid Removal But Ongoing Challenge

After CNN alerted Spotify with a list of 26 offending podcasts, the platform swiftly removed them — but new ones quickly appeared. A Spotify spokesperson told CNN, “We are constantly working to detect and remove violating content across our service.” They emphasized that such content violates Spotify’s policies against illegal and spam content.

Still, these podcasts keep resurfacing, exposing gaps in Spotify’s moderation system — especially as AI and text-to-speech tools make it easier to churn out fake, spammy content quickly.

Dangerous Consequences and Growing Pressure

This issue isn’t just about platform rules — it’s a public health concern. Parents and safety advocates have urged tech companies to clamp down on counterfeit and illicit drug sales targeting young people. Multiple teens have died after overdosing on pills purchased from online sources promoted through digital platforms.

U.S. government agencies have repeatedly warned that buying prescription drugs online from unverified sources can be illegal and dangerous. Google faced a $500 million fine in 2011 for running ads promoting illegal online pharmacies, and the FDA has called on tech platforms like Facebook and Twitter (now X) to stop illegal opioid sales on their sites.

However, tech platforms often face little legal accountability because federal law protects them from what users post. “There’s no regulations,” says Katie Paul of the Tech Transparency Project. “That’s the reality.”

Examples of Fake Podcasts and How They Work

Some of these podcasts are eerily short, featuring computerized voices reading out drug ads. For example:

• Xtrapharma.com posted eight episodes under 10 seconds long, promoting drugs like Xanax and Oxycontin with claims of “FDA-approved delivery without prescription.”
• Order Xanax 2 mg Online Big Deal On Christmas Season offered a 26-second automated ad promising “Government approved medicine delivered to your doorstep.”

Other podcasts used the same website links across multiple fake shows, including one called “John Elizabeth,” which featured dozens of episodes with computer-generated voices pushing online pharmacy links.

The Scale of the Problem

Searches on Spotify revealed dozens of these fake podcasts in top search results:

• Seven of the first 100 podcasts for “Adderall” were ads for online pharmacies.
• 20 of the first 60 results for “Xanax” pushed illegal drug sales.
• Podcasts advertising drugs like Vyvanse, Codeine, and Percocet also appeared.

Most of these podcasts had no user ratings or reviews, so it’s unclear how many listeners encountered them or placed orders.

Spotify’s Content Rules and Moderation Efforts

Spotify allows anyone to create and distribute podcasts but prohibits illegal, hateful, sexually explicit, and spam content, including podcasts created solely to promote products or services. The company uses automated systems and human reviewers to enforce its rules.

Following past controversies — like backlash over Joe Rogan’s podcast spreading false COVID-19 information — Spotify has increased moderation efforts. It created a Safety Advisory Council and acquired Kinzen, a machine learning startup to help monitor audio content.

Experts Say More Must Be Done

Despite these efforts, experts say fake podcasts selling drugs expose how much more Spotify needs to do to protect users.

Sarah Gardner, CEO of the Heat Initiative, a nonprofit advocating child safety online, says, “Anywhere people can post user-generated content, you will find people selling drugs. It’s about what companies do to combat it.”

Bottom Line

Spotify’s fight against fake podcasts pushing illegal drug sales is ongoing, reflecting a broader challenge faced by all digital platforms hosting user-generated content. As AI tools make it easier to flood platforms with spam, companies must double down on moderation — especially when public health is at stake.

Source: CNN – Spotify is scrambling to remove dozens of podcasts promoting online prescription drug sales

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