The police became aware of the group when the smugglers purchased a high-end speed boat worth 45 million won ($40,000) with undeclared money.

The mastermind behind the act was a 34-year-old man, who said the idea had come to him after seeing a passing ferry while fishing. He thought that trading on the black market would be more lucrative than his original job at a construction company. The man recruited two neighborhood acquaintances, aged 39 and 54, and put them in charge of loading and retrieving cargo.

The rest of the gang were recruited with a day-pay of 200,000 won ($175) to 300,000 won. The loading team, led by the 39-year-old accomplice, took the cargo ferry traveling from Yantai, China, to Pyeongtaek harbor near Incheon, Korea, three times a week.

Each time, the group smuggled in 30 to 40 boxes of luxury goods bought for a cheaper price in China and at Korean duty-free stores at airport departure halls. 

Up to mid-March, the smugglers brought in 30 bars of gold, each weighing 1 kilogram, 380 kilograms of deer antlers, 220,000 tablets of Viagra and 17,500 packets of duty-free Korean cigarettes.

Incheon Customs had tracked down the group from the speed boat purchase. It arrested the three leaders of the criminal group and 18 accomplices with the help of the National Intelligence Service.  

The Customs intends to tighten monitoring by strengthening ties with the ocean police and relevant authorities and by frequently sending out special investigation teams.

By Lim Jeong-yeo (kaylalim@heraldcorp.com)