Brothers Manufacturing and Selling Illegal Steroids Causing Hair Loss and Depression Detained and Indicted

Two brothers in their 30s who manufactured and sold illegal steroids with side effects such as hair loss and depression are set to face trial.

On the 3rd, the Seoul Western District Prosecutors' Office announced that it had arrested and indicted health trainer Mr. A (38, male) and his younger brother Mr. B (36, male) on charges of violating the Special Act on the Control of Health Crimes, the Pharmaceutical Affairs Act, and the Act on the Regulation and Punishment of Criminal Proceeds Concealment, among others.

They are accused of manufacturing and selling unauthorized steroid drugs worth approximately 620 million KRW from August 2021 to November last year. The price per bottle of unauthorized steroids ranged from 50,000 to 100,000 KRW, and a total of 1,031 people purchased the unauthorized steroids through social networking services (SNS). The anabolic steroids sold are designated as drugs of concern due to the high risk of side effects such as erectile dysfunction, hair loss, depression, and suicidal impulses when abused or misused.

To evade investigation, they used burner phones and methods such as receiving payment via online gift certificates. From January to November last year, they disguised the acquisition of criminal proceeds by receiving approximately 450 million KRW in drug sales payments through online gift certificates using a Chinese person's name in a proxy account.

The Food and Drug Crime Investigation Division of the Seoul Western District Prosecutors' Office and the Central Investigation Unit for Harmful Cases of the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) closely cooperated from the early stages of the investigation to apprehend the suspects. The MFDS Central Investigation Unit for Harmful Cases began the investigation in May last year and seized about 300 illegal steroids from two gyms and through financial account tracking. During this process, the prosecution and MFDS held investigation meetings, shared related precedents and investigation cases, and collaborated on legal reviews. The MFDS transferred the case to the Seoul Western District Prosecutors' Office on the 18th of last month, and the prosecutors recognized the charges of criminal proceeds concealment and arrested and indicted the suspects.

A prosecution official stated, "Through meticulous collaborative investigations between the prosecution and MFDS over a long period, we arrested the distributors," adding, "We will continue to work closely with the MFDS to eradicate crimes related to the manufacture and distribution of drugs that pose risks of abuse or illegal drugs."

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