Prosecutors Arrest and Indict Gangnam Academy District Drug Drink Case Suspects... Applied Maximum Legal Penalties

A group who made their own drug-infused beverages and had minors taste them in the academy district of Gangnam-gu, Seoul, has been brought to trial.

Gilmo, the person responsible for manufacturing and delivering drug beverages (wearing black in the back), and Kimmo, who participated in manipulating the threatening phone call numbers (wearing gray in the front) [Image source=Yonhap News]

The Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office's dedicated investigation team (led by Chief Prosecutor Shin Junho) announced on the 4th that they have arrested and indicted Gil Mo (26) and Kim Mo (39) on charges of violating the Narcotics Control Act. The prosecution added that they applied the charge of 'drug use by minors for profit' (Article 58, Paragraph 2 of the Narcotics Control Act, punishable by death, life imprisonment, or imprisonment for 10 years or more), which carries the heaviest sentence. An arrest warrant was requested the day before for an additional accomplice, Park Mo (36).

Gil is accused of organizing a free tasting event for a "concentration-enhancing beverage" in the Gangnam academy district on the 3rd of last month, having 13 minors drink it, and then making threatening phone calls to their parents. He also allegedly joined a voice phishing organization at the suggestion of his friend Lee Mo and manufactured the drug beverage under Lee's instructions.

The methamphetamine used in the drug beverage was provided by Park. Park is charged with hiding 10g of methamphetamine using the so-called "throwing method" and having Gil collect it (violation of the Narcotics Control Act). He is a Chinese national and was previously arrested and indicted on the 28th of last month for selling 2 kg of methamphetamine worth about 200 million won. The prosecution confirmed Park's involvement in the Gangnam drug beverage case through supplementary investigations and requested an arrest warrant the day before. Kim is accused of assisting threatening phone calls by using a repeater to convert Chinese internet phone numbers into local numbers (violation of the Telecommunications Business Act).

Before receiving the case from the police, the prosecution shared investigation status in real-time through a narcotics investigation working group, holding practical meetings and maintaining a hotline with the police. Subsequently, a dedicated investigation team of 20 members was formed, including the head of the violent crime division, one prosecutor specializing in organized crime, three prosecutors specializing in drug crimes, and 15 investigators, to conduct the investigation.

A prosecution official stated, "We will actively apply the aggravated punishment provisions for 'drug use by minors for profit,'" and added, "We will cooperate with related departments of the Supreme Prosecutors' Office and the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in China to apprehend and extradite accomplices residing in China."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.