Authorities last year detected nearly double the amount of psychotic drugs being smuggled into the country compared to the previous year.

According to data from the Korea Customs Service obtained by Democratic Party lawmaker Yang Kyung-sook, the volume of narcotics such as ecstasy(MDMA), rush, zolpidem and propofol that was discovered in 2022 jumped 87 percent to 267 kilograms.

The value of these drugs, defined by the United Nations as new psychoactive substances, that were seized last year shot up 187 percent on year to ten-point-eight billion won.

The lawmaker pointed out these substances can be used in criminal activities as even tiny amounts can cause hallucination, intoxication and blackouts.

Yang said that so-called party drugs have a greater effect on young people and urged officials to step up crackdowns and increase penalties on drug-using celebrities.

According to prosecutors, people in their 20s and 30s accounted for 57 percent of all drug offenders in 2021.