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http://www.dailynk.com/english/read.php?num=13484&cataId=nk01500

Drug distribution up amid relaxed holiday regulations

Seol Song Ah | 2015-09-28 16:44

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Leading up to Korea’s fall harvest festival holiday Chuseok, North Korea saw an increase in drug distribution, as surveillance and crackdowns from law enforcement agencies became more relaxed. There has also been a lack of monitoring of ‘non-socialist’ goods, as those tasked with enforcing regulations have been occupied with holiday preparations, Daily NK has learned.

“We had seen regulations being stepped up until recently on narcotics and non-socialist goods, but ahead of Chuseok this mostly subsided,” a source in South Pyongan Province told Daily NK on Friday. “Ahead of Chuseok, we saw a huge increase in drug circulation, and ‘non-socialist goods’ were being traded by the truck load.”

A source in North Pyongan Province corroborated this news.

The source explained this came as Party cadres also joined in on the spirit of holiday season, and drug dealers jumped to take advantage of the relaxed environment.

Phenylacetate, which is used as the ingredient to make methamphetamine, is transported on bicycles in flour sacks to drug manufacturing sites, and the completed product is then hidden among ingredients for Chuseok ancestral rites, according to the source.

“Chuseok is the day when people can safely sell and distribute not only drugs but also non-socialist goods,” the source said. “As long as you stick a sickle into the bag that’s carrying drugs, because of the culture of respects for ancestors, people can get away with it and say they’re going to cut weeds around their graves.”

“In time for Chuseok, non-socialist goods are being sold by the truck load. They include all kinds of products such as moonshine liquor that’s considered one of the most popular items as well as shoe heels, aluminium, and steel beams produced from donju [new affluent middle class] factories,” she added. “The moonshine made by individuals is distributed around Pyongyang, and shoe heels go from state-run collection stores to individually run shoe manufacturing stores.”

Despite efforts to stamp out drug trade through enhanced crackdowns and punitive measures, production and consumption has been on the rise. This is because compared to the initial investment, drugs produce massive returns, making it an attractive option worth paying cadre bribes for. The business is now even spreading to state foreign-currency earning companies, according to the source.