Number of drug offenders on increase: data

SEOUL, Sept. 23 (Yonhap) -- The number of drug offenders in South Korea has been on a gradual increase, with more teenagers committing the illegal act, data showed Monday.

According to the data obtained from the National Police Agency by Rep. Kim Young-ho for a parliamentary inspection, a total of 40,182 people were arrested for drug offences between 2015 and the first half of this year.

The total broke down to 7,302 in 2015, 8,853 in 2016, 8,887 in 2017, 8,107 last year and 7,033 in the first half of this year.

Notably, people in their teens and 20s gradually increased their portion among drug offenders.

The number of nabbed teenage drug offenders rose from 94 in 2015 to 114 in the first half of this year, and that of captured drug offenders in their 20s surged from 969 in 2015 to 1,553.

By drug type, psychoactive drugs accounted for 68.4 percent in the first half, and hemp 12.2 percent, with others accounting for 19.4 percent, the data said.

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