Methamphetamines Found in Drug Rehab Hospital

Twenty people, including a casino owner suspected of having injected methamphetamines while hospitalized in a drug rehabilitation hospital, a CF model, and a pharmacist, who are suspected to have consumed ecstasy at home and abroad were unveiled by the prosecution.

The Seoul District Prosecutor`s Office announced Sept. 22 that it arrested four out of them including a 47-year-old casino owner identified by the family name No on charges that they bought 1.1 grams of methamphetamines, which is enough for 36 injections, and syringes and injected it during their hospitalization at Seoul Metropolitan Eunpyong Hospital.

The prosecution also arrested or put on the wanted list another seven people on charges of attempt to supply and deliver syringes and methamphetamines to the four people. A 35 jobless person identified by the family name Kim is included.

A person known to have the family name Kim (24, no ocupation) was arrested after he gave his urine vial to No and helped No pass the urine test, which is conducted by the hospital to weed out drug use.

The prosecution explained that the drug was smuggled into the hospital in cookie boxes and cigarettes packages given by visitors. Or No sent video tape film out of the window of the hospital rest room, the drug or syringes were tied in the film and No collected them.

The Prosecution also arrested four people, including a former beauty pageant queen and television model, 30, and a waitress at a drinking establishment, both identified only by the family name Kim, on charges that they consumed Ecstasy during their overseas travels including Thailand. Four people including a pharmacist with the family name Kim, 48, and the head of a travel agency also identified by the family name Woo, 42, were put on the wanted list.

Prosecutors said, "The investigation into the drug case showed that the hospital was negligent in the management of the drug addicts. They didn`t inspect the goods delivered to its patients properly. And the urine test was not conducted throughly."

Seoul Metropolitan Eunpyeong Hospital get patients at the request of either the prosecution and court for rehabilitation, or the patients themselves, regardless of whether they get criminal punishment. Across the nation, there are 23 institutions of this kind.

The prosecution asked the Ministry of Health and Welfare, in charge of those hospitals institutionalizing drug addicts, to strengthen its supervision of them.

Myoung-Gun Lee gun43@donga.com