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Authorities are investigating a blackmail attempt against comedians and singers with a history of drug use. One comedian received a package with no return address in October that contained seven syringes and a letter that read, ¡°I will make you the target of a police crackdown when you least expect it. If you don¡¯t send the money to my bank account, I will make your drug use public.¡±
The syringes each contained 0.03 g of philopon, an amphetamine-like prescription drug. The sender asked for W200 million (US$1=W929). The comedian immediately reported the blackmail attempt to Gangnam police station in Seoul. In September, another comedian received three syringes with philopon and a letter with the same threats. The case was not officially reported, but police are investigating what they believe is part of the same case.
In October, two singers received similar parcels, once containing 10 syringes and one six, with 0.1 g of philopon each, and a demand for W200 million. Both also immediately reported it to the Seongnam branch office of Suwon District Public Prosecutor¡¯s Office and voluntarily underwent a drug test at the beginning of November. Both came up clean.
The entertainers targeted have records for possession of marijuana or philopon. An investigator said there were more cases of stars becoming the objects of such threats. ¡°Considering that the amount of the drug was not insignificant, there is a possibility that organized drug gangs or drug dealers may involved, so we¡¯re carrying out the investigation with this possibility in mind,¡± he added.
(englishnews@chosun.com )
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