Taiwanese gets suspended jail term for smuggling salt he thought was meth

Methamphetamine. Yonhap

By Jung Hae-myoung

A Taiwanese man, 30, has been sentenced to two years' jail, suspended for three years, for smuggling “drugs” that turned out to be salt.

Incheon District Court made the ruling on Wednesday.

The court was told the man was hired as courier at Taipei Songshan Airport in May.

He tried to bring in the substance in six bags hidden on his body but was caught at Kimpo International Airport. He thought he was carrying 2,475 grams of methamphetamine.

The court decided to impose the suspended sentence even though the substance was salt because the man had the intention to smuggle drugs.

“Even if he did not smuggle methamphetamine, he would have,” the judge said. “The amount he smuggled is significant and could have caused great damage to society if it were the drug.”

Under the law, anyone who tries to smuggle what is presumed to be drugs faces up to three years in prison.