A Foreigner Who Tried to Sell Salt as Drugs and Even Assaulted an Undercover Police Officer

Committed crime after acquaintance's suggestion... Assaulted and fled with money
Judge: "Disregard for South Korea's legal order"... Sentenced to 7 years

A foreign national in his 20s was sentenced to a heavy prison term after assaulting a police officer and knocking him unconscious at the scene while trying to sell salt disguised as drugs.

On the 31st, the 12th Criminal Division of the Daejeon District Court (Presiding Judge Kim Byung-man) sentenced Mr. A to seven years in prison on charges of robbery and injury, according to Yonhap News.

The court stated, "Although the defendant did not ultimately obtain the money forcibly taken during the crime and has no prior criminal record exceeding a fine, which are favorable factors, he planned the crime with accomplices while being an illegal immigrant and played a leading role, showing a poor criminal nature."

It added, "In particular, the defendant inflicted injury on the victim, a police officer who silently performs official duties at the forefront of drug crime investigations, made no effort to restore the damage, and even gave instructions to accomplices to escape through visitors while in custody, demonstrating a disregard for the legal order of the Republic of Korea," explaining the reason for the sentence by saying, "Punishment commensurate with this behavior is necessary."

Earlier, Mr. A (24), a Kazakhstani national, heard from an acquaintance in Kazakhstan last year that someone was willing to buy methamphetamine for 80 million won. The acquaintance proposed, "Give salt instead of methamphetamine, and while the buyer checks the goods, subdue him and take only the money," and Mr. A accepted this.

Thinking that a violent confrontation might occur at the scene, he involved another accomplice on the condition of giving half of his share. He meticulously planned the crime, even preparing a pocket knife on the day of the offense.

On December 21 of last year, Mr. A met the buyer on the street in Dong-gu, Daejeon. However, the buyer was Officer B, a police officer disguised as a buyer to catch drug offenders.

Unaware that the drug deal was a sting operation, Mr. A handed over salt packaged like methamphetamine to Officer B. While Officer B was inspecting the goods, Mr. A struck him hard in the face, knocking him unconscious, then grabbed a bag containing 2.4 million won in cash and fled.

Officer B sustained injuries requiring three weeks of medical treatment as a result.