[Exclusive] After COVID-19 Restrictions Lifted, 'Sex Crime Drugs' Resurge... Police Seize 'Burning Sun Water Drug' 25 Times More

GHB Known as the 'Date Rape Drug'
Eliminated from the Body Within 12 Hours, Making Detection Difficult
"Easily Obtained in Clubs... Strong Crackdown Needed"

GHB (commonly known as 'mulppong'), a drug associated with sexual crimes that caused a scandal in the entertainment industry during the 2018 'Burning Sun incident,' has recently been on the rise again. Analysts suggest that as COVID-19 subsides and nightlife culture revives, drug-related sexual crimes are resurfacing.

According to the National Police Agency on the 9th, the police seized a total of 75g of GHB through drug crackdowns in the first half of this year. Considering that a single dose of GHB is about 0.5 mg, this amounts to 150 doses. When converted to an annual amount, it nearly matches the total seizure amount of 157.5g in 2021. This is a 25-fold increase compared to the 3g seized last year. Since GHB is difficult to detect compared to other drugs, making crackdowns challenging, it is estimated that the amount circulating in the market is much higher. A police official stated, "Last year, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the use of multi-person entertainment facilities was restricted, which led to a decrease in GHB detections. Looking at the trend over several years, it appears that GHB has been steadily circulating."

Unlike other drugs used in sexual crimes, GHB does not cause loss of consciousness or body rigidity when ingested. Users simply do not remember later but can move their bodies and feel intoxicated. Because GHB victims can have physical contact with perpetrators without much resistance, it can easily appear as if sexual relations were consensual. For this reason, in the United States, GHB is called the "date rape drug."

However, GHB is harder to crack down on than other drugs. It is colorless and odorless, so victims find it difficult to detect when it is mixed into drinks. Even if victims report to the police after regaining consciousness following a sexual crime, it is often too late. GHB is excreted in urine within 12 hours after ingestion, making it unlikely to be detected in drug tests. According to the National Forensic Service, among drug tests requested by sexual crime victims from 2017 to 2021, GHB was detected in only one case. During the investigation of the 2018 'Burning Sun incident,' there were indications that perpetrators used GHB, but this charge did not lead to punishment. Professor Yeom Geon-ung of the Department of Police Science at U1 University said, "GHB is used in heinous crimes because it easily eliminates evidence of sexual crimes."

GHB Easily Available Online... Citizens Purchase Diagnostic Kits Due to Anxiety

GHB Diagnostic Stickers Available on the Market

Online, GHB is sold as a female aphrodisiac with advertisements calling it an "essential accessory for casual encounters with the opposite sex." It is also easily accessible through social networking services (SNS). When a reporter contacted a seller via SNS, the seller said, "If you purchase, I will send it by quick delivery," and added, "This drug will not be detected even if you take a drug test later."

Concerned citizens have started purchasing drug detection kits themselves. 'GHB diagnostic kits' are generally sold at around 10,000 KRW for six kits. Users attach sticker-type diagnostic kits to their phones or bags, and if a liquid is dropped on them and the color changes, it indicates the presence of GHB. The police are also conducting campaigns using these diagnostic kits. Since last month, the Jungbu Police Station in Seoul has been distributing GHB diagnostic stickers to university students, employees of large corporations, and hotel workers in the district to prevent drug-related sexual crimes in advance. A police official emphasized, "It has reached a point where GHB can be easily obtained in clubs. When encountering suspicious substances, immediate diagnosis and preemptive prevention of crimes are necessary."

There are also calls for the police to crack down more aggressively. Professor Yeom said, "Places like clubs and hunting pochas are noisy and involve drinking, so even if harm is suspected, it is difficult to conduct GHB tests on-site. Strong police crackdowns are needed to reduce crimes involving GHB."