"Welcome to the Children of Wealthy Families"... A 20-Year-Old Posted Photos of Flour and Salt and Falsely Advertised Drugs

First Trial, 6-Month Imprisonment... Court-Ordered Detention
Also Used Philopon and Other Drugs in Vietnam

A man in his 20s who deceived people by passing off flour and salt as narcotics to swindle money was sentenced to prison and taken into custody in court.

On the 16th, Judge Kim Dohyung of the Chuncheon District Court Wonju Branch Criminal Division 1 announced that A (27), who was indicted without detention on charges of violating the Narcotics Control Act (marijuana, narcotics, psychotropic substances) and fraud, was sentenced to six months in prison and taken into custody in court. In addition, A was ordered to complete a 40-hour drug addiction rehabilitation education program and fined 300,000 won.

Chuncheon District Court Wonju Branch Photo by Yonhap News

A, together with an accomplice, was charged with posting a total of 119 drug sales advertisements from March 25, 2019, at 1:01 p.m. at an unspecified location in Wonju, Gangwon Province, until June 11 of the same year, including posts such as "Cocaine specialist Telegram, original cocaine imported from Peru," and "Welcome to the children of wealthy families and wholesalers." Although he did not actually possess narcotics, he committed these crimes with the intention of only taking money.

Additionally, from August 19, 2018, to June 30, 2019, A is accused of defrauding 2.13 million won in nine instances by photographing flour or salt as if they were drugs and sending the photos to buyers who contacted him via the Telegram messenger after seeing drug sales advertisements, then taking only the money.

A also used narcotics directly overseas. It is known that he used methamphetamine and smoked marijuana in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, in September 2019.

Judge Kim pointed out, "The defendant has no prior domestic record related to drugs but falsely advertised drug sales on the internet accessible to an unspecified number of people, luring victims and embezzling sales proceeds. He also directly used various drugs." Regarding the sentencing, he explained, "Considering the sentence of the accomplice whose verdict was finalized (10 months in prison), a prison sentence was inevitable."

A and the prosecution appealed the first trial verdict to a higher court.