World · East Asia & Pacific · 1 hr ago
Two South Korean inmates sentenced for passing and taking hidden pills
A court in Chuncheon, South Korea, sentenced two inmates to four months in prison each for passing and taking prescription drugs inside prison.
The men, both 26, were serving sentences for fraud and drug-related crimes when the offences took place.
From May 23 to 26, one man gave his cellmate five pills containing psychotropic drugs, including zolpidem, on three occasions.
He had hidden the pills in his mouth and pretended to take them, then passed them through a meal hatch or directly to his cellmate.
The other man took the pills on three occasions, and the court said the offences were serious because they happened during their prison terms.
Both men received additional prison time, and the man who took the pills must also complete 40 hours of drug rehabilitation education.
A court in Chuncheon sentenced two 26-year-old inmates to four months in prison each for passing and taking prescription pills inside prison.
The court also ordered one inmate to complete 40 hours of drug-addiction rehabilitation education.
One inmate hid prescribed pills in his mouth and passed five zolpidem-containing pills to his cellmate on three occasions.
The cellmate took the pills on three occasions.
Both men were already serving prison sentences for other crimes.
- Who
- Two 26-year-old inmates identified as A and B.
- What
- They were sentenced to four months in prison each for passing and taking prescription pills.
- When
- The pill exchanges took place from May 23 to 26; the court announced the sentences on November 14.
- Where
- Chuncheon Prison and the Chuncheon District Court in South Korea.
- Why
- A passed pills prescribed to him to B, who took them; the court said the conduct was serious and occurred while they were serving sentences.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
A passed five pills to B on three occasions at Chuncheon Prison, and B took them on three occasions.
Chuncheon District Court sentenced each inmate to four months in prison and ordered B to complete 40 hours of drug-addiction rehabilitation education.
- Inmates
- A and B, both 26
- Sentence
- Four months in prison each
- Pills
- Five tablets, including zolpidem
- Exchange period
- May 23–26
- Rehabilitation order
- 40 hours for B
1 source
What people are saying
The pills were secretly kept from prison guards and passed to a fellow inmate in the same cell, who took them, making the offense serious.