A group accused of distributing drug-laced drinks to students in the Daechi-dong academy district and forcing them to consume the drinks received heavier sentences in the appellate court than in the first trial.
Gilmo (wearing black in the back), who is responsible for manufacturing and delivering drug beverages, and Kim (wearing gray in the front), who participated in manipulating the phone number for threatening calls, are entering the Seoul Central District Court in Seocho-dong to attend the warrant hearing. [Image source=Yonhap News]
On the 30th, the Criminal Division 5 of the Seoul High Court (Presiding Judge Kwon Soon-hyung) overturned the first trial's sentence of 15 years imprisonment for Gil, who was charged with violating the Narcotics Control Act (psychotropic substances) and other charges, and sentenced him to 18 years in prison. Kim, who managed the telephone relay device, also had his sentence increased from 8 years in the first trial to 10 years in the second trial. Philopon supplier Park and voice phishing recruiter Lee were each sentenced to 10 years and 7 years in prison, respectively, the same as in the first trial.
The court stated, "This case involves a voice phishing criminal group based overseas targeting an unspecified number of minors in a domestic academy-dense area, disguising their actions as a tasting event to make them consume drug-laced drinks, then threatening their parents to extort money. It is not only a new type of crime combining voice phishing and drug offenses but also has a very bad nature as it targeted an unspecified number of minors and their parents."
It added, "Minors, who are the future of our society, must be specially protected to grow into healthy members of society, and the state must actively fulfill its role in protecting the interests of minors," explaining the reasons for the sentencing.
However, the court noted, "Fortunately, 4 out of 13 did not drink the drug-laced drinks, so the crime was only attempted, and most victims did not consume the entire drink, so serious consequences did not occur. Also, the extortion attempts were all unsuccessful, which are favorable circumstances."
Gil and others were prosecuted for allegedly distributing ‘drug drinks’ mixed with philopon to 13 students under the pretense of a free tasting event in the Daechi-dong academy district, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, in April last year, and threatening the parents of 6 out of 9 who drank the drinks by saying they would report their children for drug use, demanding money (violations of the Narcotics Control Act, participation and activity in a criminal organization, attempted extortion, etc.).
In the first trial, Gil was sentenced to 15 years in prison and ordered to pay a fine of 2.5 million won. Kim was sentenced to 8 years, Park to 10 years, and ordered to pay fines of 46.76 million won and 160.5 million won, respectively. Lee was sentenced to 7 years in prison.
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