China has allowed consular access to 14 South Koreans who were arrested late last month for allegedly attempting to leave for Australia from a Chinese southern city of Guangzhou with crystal methamphetamine, a South Korean diplomat said Monday.
The 14 South Korean nationals, who live in Guangzhou or Shenzhen and members of a private baseball club, were caught on Dec. 28 at the Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport before boarding a flight bound for Melbourne.
They had been scheduled to leave for Melbourne for a "friendly baseball match" and each of the suspects were asked by a South Korean organizer of the planned match to take "gift bags" to Melbourne, according to South Korean diplomats who were contacted by their family members.
A search of their "gift bags" by the Guangzhou airport authorities revealed a total of more than 20 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine stitched into a secret compartment of the bags.
"The Chinese authorities have granted consular access to the detained South Koreans and an investigation has been under way," the diplomat said on the condition of anonymity.
South Korea and China have been in consultations over the case, the diplomat said.
It was not immediately clear why the South Koreans did not raise suspicions over the gift bags, but they were apparently duped.
The alleged South Korean organizer of the planned baseball match was not arrested. (Yonhap)
