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Law enforcement officials uncovered an illegal drugs operation who made Philopon from over-the-counter cold pills. A narcotics squad from the Suwon District Prosecutors' Office said Tuesday that it indicted two former U.S. servicemen identified by their family names Chu and Choi.
The two purchased cold pills worth W1 million (US$1=931) from drug stores in Jongro, Seoul, earlier this year. They then extracted hallucinogenic substances from the pills to make 50 grams of Philopon. That's enough for 1,600 users and is valued at W160 million. The cold pills were just ordinary medications that could be purchased without a prescription.
According to prosecutors, Chu learned how to make the drug from U.S. websites and from Mexican drug makers while he was staying in the U.S. Chu produced the drugs with Choi since he came to Korea in 2005.
The Suwon District Prosecutors' Office said it is the first time that over-the-counter pills were used to make illegal drugs in Korea. In the past, Korean drug rings used specialized medications smuggled from overseas to make Philopon.
(englishnews@chosun.com )
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