The main perpetrator who led the ‘drug beverage’ incident in the Gangnam academy district of Seoul was sentenced to a heavy prison term in the first trial.
The main culprit Lee Mo in the 'Gangnam Academy District Drug Drink Threat Incident'. [Image source=Yonhap News]
On the 9th, the Criminal Division 34 of the Seoul Central District Court (Presiding Judge Han Seong-jin) sentenced Lee Mo (27), who was detained and indicted on charges including violation of the Narcotics Control Act (psychotropic substances), to 23 years in prison.
The court stated, “The crime targeted an unspecified large number of people to make them drink the drug beverage and then threatened their parents,” adding, “The crime is extremely serious and highly condemnable as minors were used as tools for profit, making severe punishment necessary.”
It further added, “However, the defendant generally admitted to the crime and showed remorse, the extortion was only attempted, and cooperation during the investigation was considered as mitigating factors.”
Lee was indicted on charges of directing the manufacture and distribution of the so-called ‘drug beverage,’ a mixture of methamphetamine and milk, to accomplices at home and abroad while staying in China from October 2022.
According to the investigation, the accomplices, following Lee’s instructions, provided the drug beverage to 13 minors at a tasting event called ‘concentration enhancement drink’ held in the academy district of Daechi-dong, Gangnam-gu, in April last year, and then contacted the parents of the students who drank the beverage to threaten them by saying, “Your child has taken drugs, so we will report to the police,” attempting to extort money.
Lee was arrested by public security officers at a hideout in Jilin Province, China, about 50 days after the incident occurred in May last year and was forcibly repatriated to Korea in December.
Earlier, Gil Mo, the manufacturer of the drug beverage who was indicted first, was sentenced to 18 years in prison in the April appellate trial. Three other accomplices were sentenced to 7 to 10 years in prison.
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