From Pornography to Drugs Distribution... Telegram, the 'Crime Hub'

Posted chatroom address on the dark web
Recruiting buyers once a day
Verify items with proof photos
Receive via cryptocurrency and drop method

"The more buyers, the lower the price"
Buy 5 bags, get 1 free
'Mayak Gonggu' encourages bulk purchases

When approached via Telegram and asked for a verification photo, the dealer sent a photo showing drugs that appeared to be marijuana along with a note containing the reporter's Telegram ID.

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Jung-yoon] "We introduce safe, high-quality marijuana to many people. The more people participate, the lower the price goes! We ask for your active participation."

On the 25th, this promotional message was found upon entering a group chat on Telegram where narcotics are traded. Telegram, which has been pointed out as a hotbed for sexual exploitation pornography, is actually being used as a channel for drug transactions. Although the production and distribution of sexual exploitation pornography within Telegram have declined after the arrest of key operators involved in the series of 'n번방' (Nth Room) cases, including 'GodGod' Moon Hyung-wook (24), who first created the 'n번방', and Cho Ju-bin (24), the operator of the 'Doctor's Room', it still functions as a hub for illegal activities.

In the chat rooms where drug sales take place, recruitment for marijuana buyers occurred about once a day. The operator of this chat room promoted that if people send him a private message, he would organize a group purchase of marijuana and deliver it. To assure the authenticity of his product, he posted verification photos of marijuana in the chat room and stated, "The more people buy, the cheaper the marijuana price becomes." He also encouraged bulk purchases by offering one additional pack as a service when buying five packs of marijuana. Furthermore, he posted the address of his Telegram chat room on the encrypted network 'Dark Web' to attract people, preventing access by general internet users. There were 85 users participating in the chat room where this operator sold marijuana.

Transactions were conducted using cryptocurrency, and marijuana receipt was done via the 'throwing' method. 'Throwing' means the seller leaves the drugs in a secluded place, and the buyer picks them up. When a reporter approached to verify if actual marijuana transactions were taking place, the operator explained that marijuana could be received upon handing over cryptocurrency. He then introduced his cryptocurrency wallet address, cryptocurrency purchasing proxy sites and methods, and even the quantity to purchase for the first marijuana purchase. When the reporter requested a verification photo to confirm if he was an actual drug dealer, he immediately sent a photo of his Telegram ID alongside marijuana.

Telegram, along with the Dark Web, has been used as a means for drug transactions. This is because of its strong anonymity and the fact that its headquarters are overseas, making it easier to evade police tracking. On Telegram, chat rooms selling not only sexual exploitation pornography but also drugs and firearms have repeatedly been created and deleted. The police have a policy to eradicate all illegal activities within Telegram, including sexual exploitation pornography. A National Police Agency official stated, "Drug transactions occurring on Telegram are also subject to investigation," and added, "We will respond strictly to all illegal activities."