Food and drug safety ministry launches Sherlock Holmes investigation unit

The food and drug safety ministry said it has launched its first investigative research group, named Sherlock Holmes, to strengthen the professional capabilities of special judicial police officers handling food and pharmaceutical crimes.

The initiative was announced alongside the ministry's first food and drug investigation seminar, held at the Osong Convention Center.

Sherlock Holmes comprises approximately 50 participants from the headquarters of the Central Investigation Unit for Harmful Offenders and regional offices who voluntarily formed the group to study legal frameworks and share cases involving new crime types.

During the seminar, Park Jae-pyeong, a professor at Chungbuk National University Law School, presented on structural changes in the criminal justice system and the future direction for special judicial police.

Investigators from the central unit also presented case studies on counterfeit health functional foods and cosmetics, as well as examples of recovering criminal proceeds and operational difficulties faced during field investigations.

"Special judicial police possess specialized knowledge and accumulated investigation experience, but there is a need to adapt more quickly to rapidly changing social systems and technological environments," said Kim Jin-hwi, head of the Central Investigation Unit for Harmful Offenders. "We will strive to enhance officer competencies through the Sherlock Holmes research group."

Established in 2009, the central unit includes staff who investigate violations across 14 laws including the Food Sanitation Act, Pharmaceutical Affairs Act, Medical Devices Act, and Narcotics Control Act, with authority over narcotics handlers added in March 2025.