'Record-Breaking' Marijuana Smuggling: Japan-Based Korean Yakuza Sentenced to 10 Years for Enough for 1.27 Million People

All Seized Drugs Ordered Forfeited
636 kg Worth 95.4 Billion Won at Retail Prices

A former yakuza member involved in drug smuggling was sentenced to 10 years in prison for bringing approximately 636 kg of cannabis into South Korea aboard a vessel from Thailand.

A box used to conceal marijuana in a container involved in this case. On the right, clothing and other items can be seen packed in the box alongside the marijuana to hide it. Photo courtesy of the joint investigation team.

On Oct. 8, the 13th Criminal Division of the Suwon District Court, presided over by Judge Jang Seok-jun, sentenced A, 53, a Korean resident of Japan, to prison and ordered the confiscation of the seized drugs at the first-instance hearing on charges of violating the Narcotics Control Act by dealing in cannabis.

A is accused of conspiring with members of a Vietnamese drug-trafficking organization in early March 2026 to send a vessel carrying a container loaded with approximately 636 kg of cannabis from Laem Chabang Port in Thailand, then importing the cannabis after it arrived at Incheon Port on March 23 of that year.

The 636 kg of cannabis was worth approximately 95.4 billion won at retail prices and was enough for about 1.27 million people to smoke at the same time. It was reportedly the largest quantity of narcotics ever imported for domestic distribution.

A reportedly planned to distribute some of the smuggled cannabis in South Korea and re-export the rest to Japan and other countries.

During the trial, A's side argued that the indictment should be dismissed because the case involved entrapment, claiming, "B, whom A met in prison, deliberately approached A to cooperate with investigators and then induced A to commit the crime."

However, the court noted, "There is no evidence or circumstance indicating that B deliberately approached the defendant and asked him to import narcotics," adding, "The Vietnamese organization members carried out the local procurement and export of the 636 kg of cannabis entirely on their own. They were people the defendant had contacted directly through an acquaintance."

The court continued, "The defendant previously belonged to a Japanese yakuza organization and was sentenced to prison for drug smuggling," explaining, "Even if he had not been involved in drug crimes during the three years after his release, it is difficult to conclude that B's assistance caused his criminal intent or was an indispensable condition for the crime."

In 2016, A was sentenced to six years in prison for, among other things, storing approximately 956 g of methamphetamine imported from China, worth 3.1 billion won, for re-export to Japan.

In explaining the sentence, the court said, "It is favorable that the defendant generally cooperated with investigators and that the smuggled cannabis was detected before it could be distributed in South Korea." However, it added, "The defendant committed a serious crime in pursuit of profit, and the potential for criticism is high because he committed a much larger offense of the same kind after serving a prison sentence for smuggling and being released upon completion of that sentence."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.