Seventeen stationed American soldiers in South Korea are being probed by the local police for “alleged illegal drug behavior,” the United States Forces Korea said on Wednesday.
South Korea’s Yonhap news agency reported that two, a South Korean and a Filipina, women involved in the issue have been arrested for allegedly smuggling drugs from the United States through military mail.
It said that the women also engaged in the usage, sale, or distribution of the prohibited substances.
All 17 US soldiers have been referred to prosecutors and could encounter accusations but have not been arrested, Yonhap said.
In a Wednesday statement, the USFK said that the United States Forces Korea is aware of the Korean National Police’s probe of 17 Soldiers for alleged unlawful drug behavior and abuse of the military mail system.
Currently, no Soldiers are in custody or being imprisoned in association with this incident, the statement added.
According to Yonhap, the police of South Korea have seized drug sales proceeds of $12,850 as well as 80 ml of synthetic cannabis and other affiliated material from the suspects.
Consumption, possession, or sale of banned substances are prohibited crimes under South Korea’s tough illegal drugs legislation.
Smoking synthetic cannabis, which is classified as one of the most rigidly regulated psychoactive substances in South Korea, is an offense punishable by up to 10 years in jail or a fine of 100 million won (US$75,332).
Selling the prohibited substance is punishable by up to life in jail.
USFK said it “does not favor any conducts among its personnel that break South Korean laws, rules or directives” and that it “supports this probe.”
Some 28,500 American soldiers are stationed in South Korea.
