Drugged coffee for 'golf bets'... Trio referred for swindling 75 million won

Deliberately lost bets to gain trust, then spiked coffee with drugs
36-hole golf bet while victim's judgment was impaired
One arrested and referred; two referred without detention

A group accused of secretly spiking a person's coffee with drugs to impair their judgment and then swindling them out of 75 million won in a golf betting game has been referred to the Prosecution Office.

A man in his 60s, identified only as A, secretly puts drugs in the victim’s coffee at a golf course in Pocheon, Gyeonggi Province, on July 30. Seoul Namdaemun Police Station.

Seoul Namdaemun Police Station said on Nov. 1 that it had arrested and referred a man in his 60s, identified as A, on charges of violating the Narcotics Control Act by administering psychotropic substances and of fraud. Two alleged accomplices, a man in his 70s identified as B and a man in his 60s identified as C, were referred without detention on the same charges.

According to police, A and his alleged accomplices are accused of swindling a victim out of 75 million won after secretly giving him coffee laced with psychotropic substances while playing a round of golf with him at a golf course in Pocheon, Gyeonggi Province, on July 30, and then betting on the game.

Police found that before the alleged crime, the men approached the victim and built his trust by deliberately losing golf bets. Investigators said that while the victim went to the restroom during the round, they mixed psychotropic substances they had prepared in advance into his coffee and had him drink it.

The victim continued playing all 36 holes despite suffering impaired cognitive and motor abilities after consuming the drugs. The group took advantage of the victim's inability to make sound judgments and ensured the betting results favored them. After the round, they demanded that the victim pay 75 million won at a restaurant, telling him, "You lost the bet, so pay us 75 million won," and received the money by bank transfer.

Police found that the men had carefully planned the crime and divided up their roles in advance. A allegedly mixed the drugs into the coffee and demanded money from the victim. B approached the victim to gain his trust and prepared and delivered the drugs, while C kept watch at the entrance as the drugs were being mixed into the coffee.

Police detected psychotropic substances in tests of the victim's urine and hair. They also confirmed indications that the drugs had been administered by someone else through a review of the victim's medical prescription history and consultations with specialists. Footage from the golf course's closed-circuit television cameras and forensic analysis also provided evidence of the drugs being mixed into the coffee and the alleged accomplices' division of roles.

A police official said, "We will respond firmly to drug crimes that disrupt everyday life and focus our investigative capabilities on eradicating related crimes." The official added, "Drug-related crimes can occur even in everyday places, so please report any suspected drug use to your nearest police station."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.