Sentenced to 5 years imprisonment (long term) and 4 years (short term), 16.5 million KRW confiscated
Prosecuted for transporting and managing 5 cases of narcotics
[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gyehwa, Intern] A teenager was sentenced to prison for transporting drugs by receiving coordinates of hidden drug locations via Telegram from a drug-selling ship and enabling buyers to collect them.
On the 28th, the Criminal Division 1 of Chuncheon District Court Wonju Branch (Chief Judge Shin Gyosik) announced that A (19), who was detained and prosecuted for violating the Narcotics Control Act (psychotropic drug offender) and fraud charges, was sentenced to 5 years and 4 years imprisonment for the long and short terms respectively, and fined 16,505,000 KRW.
Under the Juvenile Act, minors under the age of 19 can be sentenced with separate long-term and short-term imprisonment. If they receive good evaluations for their behavior during incarceration, they may be released early without serving the full long-term sentence.
A was prosecuted for transporting and managing five cases of narcotics, including collecting methamphetamine hidden under a chair in the smoking area at the back door of a building in Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, at 12:21 PM on February 8th, under the instructions of the selling ship, and distributing them to about 60 locations around Incheon and Suwon.
A is also charged with selling five cases of narcotics by receiving money transfers from police officers disguised as drug buyers and actual drug buyers, and providing information on the locations where the drugs were hidden.
It was revealed that A participated in drug transportation crimes by collecting drugs at coordinates provided by the selling ship, dividing them into small amounts, and dispersing them to other locations using the so-called "throwing method" (a method where drugs are left at a specific place for buyers to pick up), receiving a fee per case.
A is also accused of defrauding about 100 people of approximately 18 million KRW through an online used goods scam at his home in Wonju between January and March, using the money for living expenses and gambling funds.
The court stated the sentencing reasons, saying, "Drug trafficking has a high risk and blameworthiness due to the potential spread of drugs and the possibility of causing additional crimes. The fraud charges are also very serious, making strict punishment inevitable," but also considered "that this is a first-time juvenile offender and that he confessed to the drug case."
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