Deceptive "Luxury Drinking Parties"... Drug Distribution Ring Cracked Down in University Areas

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A gang that systematically distributed drugs around university campuses by luring people with lavish drinking parties at hotels and upscale restaurants has been caught.

Photo of the medication administration site. [Photo by Seoul Southern District Prosecutors' Office]

On the 5th, the Criminal Division 4 of the Seoul Southern District Prosecutors' Office (Chief Prosecutor Nam Su-yeon) announced that they had apprehended a total of 14 university students who distributed and used drugs through a university student union club. The main suspect, Mr. A, in his 30s, has already been detained and additionally indicted, while club executives Mr. B and Mr. C in their 20s and member Mr. D were indicted in detention. Two members were indicted without detention, and the remaining accomplices were conditionally suspended from prosecution considering their criminal records, addiction status, and risk of recidivism.

Mr. A, the president of the union club, recruited about 300 members in a short period by providing lavish drinking parties funded by drug sales profits and used drugs together with the members. The club was formed in 2021 and selected top university students through interviews by promoting benefits such as free or discounted access to high-end foreign cars, luxury hotels, fine dining, members-only accommodations, and music festival entries via social networking services (SNS) popular among university students. After becoming close with the club members, Mr. A induced addiction by offering various drugs including liquid cannabis. The drug most frequently used was 'LSD,' and it was confirmed that Mr. A spread information suggesting it was effective for “depression, addiction, etc.”

Starting with cannabis, they gradually exposed members to increasingly potent new drugs in stages, causing club members to become addicted. Afterwards, they operated a profit-making business by selling drugs at high prices with premiums through Telegram and cryptocurrency. Mr. A traded drugs worth more than 12 million won last year alone and transported and used drugs overseas together with members.

Crime structure diagram. [Photo provided by Seoul Southern District Prosecutors' Office]

This case was uncovered when, during the trial of Mr. A, who was indicted in detention for simple drug use, the public prosecutor detected suspicious transaction details, conducted forensic analysis of mobile phones, and traced bank accounts and virtual asset records to reveal the reality of drug distribution crimes around university campuses.

A prosecution official stated, “As drug crimes have widely spread to young people in their teens to 30s, especially university students through the internet and SNS, we have set the eradication of drug-related crimes targeting this age group as our top priority and will mobilize all our resources to respond.”