Investigation of Drug Gathering in 'Police Officer Fall Death' Case Expands to Major Seoul Clubs... 19 Associates Detained

The police investigating the case of an active-duty officer who fell to his death at an apartment in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, will also investigate major clubs in Seoul suspected of hosting group drug gatherings.

A Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency official stated at a press briefing on the 11th, "We plan to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the distribution of drugs and drug-related crimes occurring in clubs," adding, "We are inspecting major clubs including those in Itaewon."

Earlier, on the 5th, the police conducted a raid on a club in Itaewon and secured related materials. It is known that some members of the group present at the death scene had visited this club. The police believe that drugs were purchased at this club and brought to the scene.

Additionally, the police have identified 21 people who were present at the scene during the incident and have booked 19 of them on charges of violating the Narcotics Control Act. Except for the deceased officer, all but one presumed foreign national whose identity has not yet been confirmed have been booked. It is reported that this foreign national has already fled abroad.

Initially, the police believed that seven people, excluding the deceased officer, were present at the scene, but later confirmed that eight and then five more individuals had attended the gathering. The police explained the delay in confirming the increasing number of attendees by stating, "Some of the apartment’s main closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras were malfunctioning," and "Some related individuals withheld information about additional attendees."

Among them, arrest warrants have been requested for three individuals suspected of organizing the gathering and providing the venue at the time of the incident. The three appeared at the pre-arrest detention hearing held at the Seoul Western District Court that morning but did not respond to reporters’ questions such as "Were there more than the 21 attendees?", "Do you admit to drug use charges?", and "What are the circumstances of the deceased officer’s death?"

The police are investigating the circumstances and movements of the five newly identified attendees, as well as allegations of drug use. In particular, they are examining whether there are signs of evidence tampering, as it is believed that previously investigated attendees conspired to conceal the five additional attendees. Furthermore, the investigation is ongoing regarding the gathering’s circumstances and possible drug-related charges, considering that people from various professions and age groups, including doctors and health trainers, were present at the time.

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