'15 to 19 years old' Drug Offenders 379 People, Under 15 Years Old 40 People... High Proportion in 20s and 30s
Drugs Expanded to Daily Life Including Office Workers, Students, Housewives... Easily Purchased via SNS
[Asia Economy Reporter Heo Kyung-jun] It has been confirmed that the number of domestic drug offenders cracked down by the prosecution until October this year reached about 15,000. This is an increase of about 13% compared to the same period last year.
According to the Supreme Prosecutors' Office on the 20th, the total number of domestic drug offenders caught from January to October this year was 15,182, and the number of foreign drug offenders was 2,079. If this trend continues, the number of drug offenders registered with the prosecution this year is expected to record an all-time high.
The number of people booked for using psychotropic drugs (hwangjeong) such as Philopon from January to October this year was 9,802, those who used drugs such as cocaine were 2,425, and marijuana offenders were 2,955. Except for marijuana offenders, the numbers generally increased compared to last year.
The seized drugs amounted to 635.4 kg, a 56.5% increase from last year (406.1 kg). Compared to the same period last year, Philopon increased by about 21%, MDMA, known as Ecstasy, by about 259%, Yaba, which means "crazy drug" in Thai, by about 186%, and synthetic marijuana JWH by about 169%.
Among all drug offenders registered with the prosecution, 72.3% were male and 27.7% were female, showing a significantly higher proportion of male users. However, among those who used drugs such as cocaine, males accounted for 51.3% and females 48.7%, showing a similar gender ratio.
The occupations of the detected drug offenders showed that unemployed individuals (4,919 people) accounted for the highest proportion across marijuana, drugs, and psychotropic substances. Among marijuana offenders, 372 were of unknown occupation, 342 were company employees, and 113 were students. Among drug offenders, 396 were in agriculture, 143 unknown occupation, and 101 homemakers. Among psychotropic offenders, 991 were of unknown occupation, 518 laborers, 485 company employees, and 285 students.
The age group of drug offenders was highest among those in their 20s and 30s with 8,308 people, followed by those aged 60 and over with 2,045 people. Those in their 40s numbered 2,329, and those in their 50s were 1,676. Minors aged 15 to 19 also reached 379, and 40 offenders under 15 years old were detected. Minors were found to have used psychotropic drugs, drugs, and marijuana in that order. This highlights that company employees, students, homemakers, and even minors can easily access drugs.
The prosecution believes that an environment where drugs can be purchased at the price of a pizza through social networking services (SNS) has been created, deeply infiltrating everyday life.
Earlier, President Yoon Suk-yeol stated in his first dialogue with the public, "About 10 years ago, our country was called a drug-free country, but at some point, the prosecution let go and only the police took on all this work, so I think the efficiency in information and investigation cooperation has significantly declined." He added, "The fact that drug prices are falling means the state has not cracked down. Honestly, it's a bit embarrassing."
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