Drug crime attorney, I used drugs overseas. What will the punishment be?

Hello. This is a drug crime attorney at Daeryun Law LLC.

To state the conclusion first, even where ketamine was used overseas, if that fact is confirmed after returning to Korea, criminal punishment may be imposed.

Ketamine is classified as a psychotropic drug in Korea, and under the Narcotics Control Act it is punishable by imprisonment for up to 10 years or a fine of up to 100 million won.

However, the level of punishment may vary depending on factors such as whether there was awareness of the crime, the dosage, habituality, whether there is a criminal record, and the degree of cooperation with the investigative authorities.

In terms of how to respond, the most important things are securing evidence and the initial response.

It is necessary to secure as much objective material as possible, such as the circumstances during your stay overseas, the circumstances of use, and the circumstances of purchase, and to establish a strategy together with a drug crime attorney at the investigation stage.

In the investigation by the investigative authorities, a strategy emphasizing points such as the low awareness of the crime, efforts to prevent recurrence, and minimizing social harm is also important.

Ultimately, because a case of drug use overseas can proceed in a complex manner depending on the judgment of the investigative authorities, consulting a drug crime attorney and establishing a response strategy can have a significant impact on the future sentence and outcome.

For details, we recommend confirming them through a consultation with a drug crime attorney.