Smuggling of illegal `party pills` quadruples

The volume of illegal drugs smuggled into Korea has increased four-fold from a year earlier, the country`s customs office said Tuesday, according to the Yonhap News.



The Korea Customs Service said 2,598 "party pills" were brought into the country in 20 separate cases during the first 11 months of this year. These recently developed drugs include lorazepam, alprazolam and zolpidem, all of which are used to treat insomnia and anxiety disorders, among other symptoms.



Michael Jackson recently died of an overdose of lorazepam, while the use of zolpidem can lead to negative side effects, such as hallucinations and amnesia.



The customs office plans to request the Korea Communications Standards Commission to block access to 84 overseas Web sites selling 35 types of such pills. The customs service will also increase inspections of international mail and freight to check for drugs disguised as plant nutrients.