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US troops who smuggled cannabis products into South Korea won’t serve actual prison time

Author: DAVID CHOI

Two U.S. service members recently received suspended jail sentences from a South Korean judge for bringing cannabis products into the country aboard flights this year.

Both service members were handed 2 ½ year prison terms, suspended for three years, for their unrelated cases. Their identities were not made public during the Dec. 2 sentencing at the Suwon District Court in Suwon City. The results of the proceedings were publicly released Monday.

They were indicted on charges of violating South Korea’s Narcotics Control Act. The country passed legislation in 2018 that allowed the medical use of cannabis but continues to ban the recreational use of marijuana and other drugs, including opium and psychotropics.

One of the service members was suspected by South Korean customs officials in March of bringing four cannabis cartridges, 30 gelatin substances and bath products containing cannabis into the country, a court representative told Stars and Stripes by phone on the customary condition of anonymity. 

View the full article at stripes.com