Kim Rahn is the managing editor of The Korea Times. Since joining the company in 2003, she has covered various beats including the presidential office, Seoul city government, the Bank of Korea and the tourism industry. In 2014, she won the Society of Publishers in Asia (SOPA) award for her coverage of the ordeals of migrant women in Korea.
5 people arrested for growing cannabis at daycare center
Seen are three of 13 cannabis plants that were being raised at a daycare center by the son of the center's operator. The Korea Coast Guard said, Monday, they arrested five people, including the son, for growing, selling and using the cannabis. Courtesy of Korea Coast Guard
By Kim Rahn
By Kim Rahn
Five people have been detained on suspicions of violating the law on narcotics for allegedly growing cannabis at a daycare center and several wetland sites along the west coast, the Korea Coast Guard said Monday.
Fourteen others were booked without physical detention for purchasing marijuana from them and using it.
The five people allegedly grew 13 cannabis plants in the hallway, back yard and on the rooftop of a daycare center run by the mother of one of them from March to July last year. The Coast Guard did not specify the location of the center
They apparently grew the cannabis plants at the center and transplanted others to some wetlands off Incheon. They are alleged to have sowed seeds there also.
The son of the daycare center operator allegedly used the marijuana he grew and then drove his car for some hours Feb. 15 in the Incheon area.
Harvested marijuana and materials used by a group of five people to grow cannabis plants are exhibited at the Korea Coast Guard headquarters in Incheon, Monday. Courtesy of Korea Coast Guard
After getting a tip about the plants in January, the Coast Guard secured evidence of the five using marijuana before rounding them up one by one, confiscating about 260 grams of marijuana in their possession.
The daycare center operator said it was true that her son had grown plants at the center but she had not been aware what kind of plants they were. The Coast Guard did not book her due to a lack of evidence regarding her involvement.
“It seems they themselves grew the plants, as smuggling drugs in from overseas has become difficult amid the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic,” a Coast Guard official said. “We suspect there may be more cases of people raising cannabis in secluded areas, so we'll conduct intensive crackdowns especially along the coast.”