Even Offline Drug Sale Flyers... "Evidence That Drugs Were Widespread"

"Tonight, we take responsibility." A flyer claiming to sell GHB, also known as 'water drug,' was posted in the men's restroom at Jamwon Station on the Seoul subway. It promoted that having GHB would guarantee success in casual encounters with the opposite sex. However, GHB is a drug known as a sexual assault substance since the 2018 'Burning Sun incident,' and purchasing, using, or distributing it is punishable under the Narcotics Control Act. Office worker Kim (33, male) said, "I'm worried that people who don't know much about drugs might become interested after seeing the flyer," adding, "Many say drugs are widespread, but seeing the flyer makes it feel real."

On the 22nd, flyers advertising drug sales were distributed at the Hongik University Seoul Campus College of Fine Arts building, prompting the police to launch an investigation. /Capture=Online Community

Drugs that were traded secretly online are now infiltrating offline spaces. Experts express concern that since drug sales notices can be easily encountered in daily life, many unspecified individuals may become curious.

According to the police on the 23rd, the Mapo Police Station in Seoul launched an investigation after drug sales advertisements were distributed the previous day at the art college building on the Seoul campus of Hongik University. Similar advertisements were also distributed at Konkuk University in Gwangjin-gu, Seoul, prompting the school to issue a caution on its website. The business card-sized flyer read in English, "Need inspiration? We sell liquid cannabis," and "Just 1g will make you feel 50 times better. Contact us while it's still legal." The back side contained a QR code guiding the purchase route. The police have collected the flyers and are investigating who distributed them and whether anyone attempted to purchase drugs by accessing the QR code.

Offline drug purchases follow a distribution process similar to online transactions. Once a purchase is confirmed via phone or text, the "throwing" method is used (a non-face-to-face transaction where the seller leaves the drugs at an agreed location). It is known that middle-aged and older adults who find it difficult to use social networking services (SNS) like Telegram or drug users who avoid leaving online traces mainly use this method.

Offline drug distribution is also not easy to crack down on, just like online. Online, sellers directly promote and sell drugs via Telegram, but offline drug promotion involves a structure divided among those who distribute flyers, those who commission the promotion, and those who manufacture and distribute the drugs. Moreover, distributing drug-related advertisements alone is not easily punishable due to the lack of appropriate regulations. A police official said, "According to the Narcotics Control Act, manufacturing, selling, brokering, and distributing drugs are punishable, but distributing drug sales advertisements alone cannot be interpreted as participating in drug distribution," adding, "In such cases, only minor offense penalties under the Minor Offenses Act may apply."

Drugs have already spread throughout society. According to the Supreme Prosecutors' Office's 'Monthly Narcotics Trend Report for August,' the number of narcotics crackdowns from January to August this year was 14,588, a 46.8% increase compared to the same period last year (9,934 cases). This number has already reached last year's total crackdown count (14,696 cases), and it is expected to exceed 20,000 cases by the end of this year. Professor Yeom Geon-ung of the Department of Police Science at U1 University said, "The fact that you can see drug promotion flyers on the street is evidence that drugs have become popularized," adding, "If drug advertisements are easily seen in daily life, people with less discernment, such as teenagers, may become curious, so caution is necessary."

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