▲ Daejeon District Court courtroom
A man in his 30s has been sentenced to prison for operating and facilitating drug transactions through Telegram channels that connected sellers and buyers.
Judge Choi Ri-ji of Criminal Division 7 at the Daejeon District Court sentenced the 33-year-old defendant, surnamed A, to seven years in prison today (the 8th) on charges of violating the Narcotics Control Act.
A is accused of creating and running Telegram channels to promote and sell narcotics, as well as brokering transactions.
Investigations revealed that A collected Bitcoin equivalent to 500,000 won to 1.5 million won per month from drug dealers as listing fees.
It was also uncovered that A acted as an intermediary by posting recruitment notices for drug couriers to connect them with dealers, and even served as an escrow agent for large-scale transactions.
The channel had approximately 3,000 users, and A systematically managed it by employing multiple administrators.
The court stated in its sentencing, "Drug transactions using online spaces are characterized by high security and anonymity without spatial limitations, causing severe social harm by allowing an unspecified number of people to easily access drugs." It added, "His culpability is extremely heavy as he participated in distribution by operating the channel for a considerable period, brokering narcotics sales, and directly selling them."
(Photo: Yonhap News)
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