A man in his 40s, a young farmer who secretly cultivated cannabis in a government-subsidized vinyl greenhouse, was caught and handed over to prosecutors.
The Central Region Korea Coast Guard Narcotics Investigation Unit announced on the 24th that it had referred A, 40, to prosecutors on charges of violating the Narcotics Control Act.
A is accused of cultivating 12 cannabis plants and manufacturing 3.9 kg of marijuana worth 600 million won in a vinyl greenhouse in Chungju City, Chungcheongbuk Province, from September 2024 until recently. The amount of marijuana he produced is enough for 7,920 people to smoke simultaneously.
A was selected as a beneficiary of the government’s Young Farmers’ Farming Settlement Support Project in 2023, allowing him to borrow 280 million won at an interest rate in the 1% range, significantly lower than market rates. He used the funds to build a 330-square-meter vinyl greenhouse designed to resemble a smart farm cultivation facility.
Investigations revealed he also used approximately 1 million won in monthly rural settlement support funds, provided by local governments for agricultural supplies, to purchase fertilizers for cannabis cultivation.
A was found to have set up indoor cultivation tents imported from overseas inside the greenhouse to grow the cannabis. He learned cultivation methods through overseas marijuana farming websites and YouTube.
The Coast Guard seized 3.9 kg of marijuana and seven plants under cultivation from A’s greenhouse and residence. Additionally, four accomplices, including sellers and buyers of cannabis seeds, were charged and are under investigation.
A Coast Guard official stated, “A directly smoked some of the marijuana and also purchased cocaine. We will strive to prevent crimes such as the smuggling of narcotics through maritime routes.”
https://www.chosun.com/english/national-en/2026/03/24/7QMLZXEK4BERRD6JQ7QE2PR4SA/
