It Makes a Difference to the Sheep

MORE DPRK DRUG SMUGGLING

Chosun Ilbo (Burke Josslin, "MORE HEROIN FROM PONG SU FOUND," Seoul, 05/28/03) reported that Australian police have found another 75 kilograms of heroin that were smuggled into the country by the North Korean ship seized in a raid last month, the BBC reported this week. The 75 kilos of heroin were found buried in bushes on the southeast coast of Australia, the report quoted a police spokesman as saying. It is the same area in which 50 kilograms of heroin were seized from a vehicle in April, just before the ship, the Pong Su, was apprehended. The later batch was said to be identical in form and packaging to the earlier one.

Again, this should be no surprise to anyone who has watched North Korea over the last decade. Still, one wonders whether the powers that be in the DPRK realize that continuing drug smuggling doesn't make for the best PR. Do they care?