A Chinese national who attempted to smuggle and distribute ketamine, known as a "club drug," from the Netherlands into South Korea has been sentenced to prison in the first trial.
On October 16, the 11th Criminal Division of the Seoul Southern District Court (Presiding Judge Jang Chan) sentenced Mr. A to 15 years in prison on charges of violating the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes related to psychotropic substances.
Mr. A was accused of hiding 24 kilograms of ketamine, double-wrapped in carbon paper and aluminum foil, in a suitcase and smuggling it through Gimpo Airport.
The amount of ketamine smuggled by Mr. A is enough for 800,000 people to use simultaneously. This is the largest quantity of narcotics ever seized at Gimpo Airport since its opening.
Ketamine is a type of anesthetic used for inducing anesthesia and relieving pain, but when inhaled in large quantities, it can cause hallucinations, delirium, and memory impairment. For this reason, it has been designated as a psychotropic drug.
The court stated, "Given the recent surge in the import and distribution of narcotics in the country, and considering that the defendant imported as much as 24 kilograms of ketamine, severe punishment is necessary."
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