South Korea Jails 90-Year-Old Woman for Drug Money Laundering

A 90-year-old woman in South Korea has been handed a one-year prison sentence for aiding her son in laundering drug profits. The court in Incheon stated she transferred a total of 386 million won ($260,800; £192,800) across nine instances between April 2020 and February 2022, following her son’s instructions. Her son, referred to as Song in the reports, has been incarcerated in Cambodia since 2020 after being convicted of methamphetamine trafficking. The prosecution argued that the woman was aware of her son’s detention and knew the funds were illegal, as she visited Cambodia five times in 2019.

Prosecution Highlights Complicity in Drug Network

During the trial, the court emphasized that her actions obstructed the tracking of illicit funds and exacerbated the drug trade’s reach. “Her involvement made it easier to conceal the origins of the money and expanded the circulation of narcotics, which elevates the severity of the crime,” said Judge Wi Eun-suk. Despite her age and no prior convictions in drug-related cases, the court deemed her role significant in the operation.

“Her actions made it harder to trace illicit profits and contributed to the spread of narcotics, rendering the offence particularly serious,” judge Wi Eun-suk said on Monday.

South Korean officials are reportedly working to secure Song’s extradition from Cambodia. Meanwhile, his daughter faced charges for receiving over 600 million won in illicit funds and transferring 274 million won. However, she was ultimately acquitted due to insufficient evidence proving she knew the money stemmed from drug trafficking.