3 Billion Won Worth of Philopon Hidden in Baby Formula Container... 30-Year-Old Man Sentenced to 11 Years in Prison

Mr. A Sentenced to 11 Years, Mr. B to 4 Years
Conspired with Accomplice in the US to Smuggle... Sent to Korea via International Express Mail
Mr. A Denies Charges, Claims He Did Not Know Methamphetamine Was in the Package

Philopon. The photo is unrelated to specific expressions in the article. / Photo by Asia Economy DB

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Jung-wan] A man in his 30s who conspired with an accomplice in the United States to secretly smuggle over 300 million won worth of methamphetamine hidden in a powdered milk container into South Korea was sentenced to a heavy prison term.

On the 19th, the 15th Criminal Division of the Incheon District Court (Presiding Judge Lee Kyu-hoon) announced that it sentenced A (30), who was indicted on charges including violation of the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes for psychotropic substances, to 11 years in prison, and B (40) to 4 years in prison.

A was indicted for smuggling 3.2 kg of methamphetamine (worth approximately 320 million won) through Incheon International Airport from the United States on August 15 last year. B, the accomplice, was caught by investigative authorities while attempting to receive the methamphetamine sent from the United States locally and deliver it to A.

It was revealed that A, B, and their accomplices divided the methamphetamine into three plastic bags, hid them in powdered milk containers, and sent them to South Korea via international express mail.

In court, A fully denied the charges, claiming, "I did not know methamphetamine was inside the parcel," but the court did not accept this.

The court stated, "The defendant attempted to throw his mobile phone out of the window during transportation after being arrested in this case," and added, "Based on Telegram messages exchanged with the accomplice and the defendant's statements during prosecution investigation, it can be sufficiently recognized that he knew the parcel contained methamphetamine and still accepted it."

Furthermore, the court said, "Drug crimes cause serious adverse effects on society as a whole, so strict punishment is necessary," and added, "Considering the amount of methamphetamine smuggled from the United States, the nature of the crime is severe."

The court explained the sentencing by saying, "Despite this, the defendant completely denies the methamphetamine smuggling crime with an unconvincing excuse," but also considered "the fact that he has no prior criminal record for the same crime."