'Mastermind of drug smuggling operation targeting 60,000 doses' former professional baseball player sentenced to 10 years in prison

*This content was translated by AI.

A former professional baseball player who served not merely as an ordinary member but as the mastermind of a drug smuggling ring has ultimately been unable to avoid a decade behind bars.

According to NEWSIS, the Criminal Division 7 of the Busan District Court sentenced A (in his 30s), indicted on charges including violation of the Act on Special Cases Concerning Aggravated Punishment for Specific Crimes (Narcotics Control Law), to 10 years in prison on the 14th.

The court also ordered A to complete a 40-hour drug treatment program and imposed an additional recovery order of 100,000 won.

A is accused of acting as a co-mastermind of a drug organization and smuggling approximately 1.9 kilograms (worth 120 million won) of the narcotic ketamine from Thailand in three separate instances between September and October last year.

Considering that the typical single dose of ketamine is 0.03 grams, this amount could have been administered simultaneously to approximately 63,400 people, causing massive repercussions.

A is also accused of using methamphetamine once at a club in Thailand between December last year and January this year.

It is known that couriers, following the mastermind's orders, exchanged drugs by utilizing blind spots such as airport restrooms. The operation was meticulously planned; for instance, couriers were instructed to travel abroad with their minor children, take advantage of the relatively lax surveillance by customs on family travelers, receive drugs, and then transport them.

The Prosecution Service arrested courier C at Gimhae Airport in October last year. At that time, given the recurrence of similar drug smuggling cases nationwide, a joint investigation team was formed with the Busan Metropolitan City Office and the Busan Customs Office. The Daejeon District Prosecutors' Office indicted another courier, D, while the Incheon District Prosecutors' Office indicted yet another courier, E.

Based on a synthesis of testimonies from D and E, it was confirmed that the type of drugs, concealment methods, and the Telegram chat name of the ship's captain matched those of C. Furthermore, clues emerged suggesting the captain appeared to be from Chungcheongnam-do and seemed like an avid fan of a professional baseball team based in Daejeon. Consequently, the Prosecution Service identified mastermind A through cryptocurrency wallet tracking and search warrants, confirming that he was a former professional baseball player.

The Prosecution Service also proved that the drug transfer at Incheon International Airport and Suvarnabhumi Airport in Thailand involved "relay smuggling," where ketamine was exchanged within seconds, based on analysis of closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage from the scenes.

The presiding judge stated, "Although A denied all charges except for methamphetamine use, a comprehensive review of the evidence confirms guilt on all counts." The judge added, "The nature of the crime is extremely serious, and given the large quantity of ketamine imported, severe punishment is unavoidable."

However, the court acquitted B (in his 30s), a software developer who was indicted alongside A as a co-mastermind of the organization. The decision was based on the finding that while there were many circumstances suggesting involvement in the crime, evidence sufficient to establish guilt was lacking.

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*This content was translated by AI.