Two celebrities get in hot water with marijuana

The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency Monday charged boy-band singer Choi Daniel and TV personality Bianca Mobley with smoking and selling marijuana.

The two celebrities are already standing trial without detention from an indictment in March by the Suwon District Prosecutors’ Office on similar charges. The Seoul police said Choi, the 22-year-old singer from the pop group DMTN, purchased the illegal drug from a 25-year-old English tutor identified as Seo and sold it to three people on three occasions last year. The singer is accused of selling 3.5 grams of marijuana for 500,000 won ($458.50) as well as smoking the drug.

Mobley, who starred on the KBS talk show “Chatting Beauties,” is charged with helping Choi arrange the purchase and sales as well as smoking the marijuana with Choi. They may face harsher punishments in Seoul considering the similar charges in Suwon.

During the first hearing in the trial at the Suwon District Court on April 30, Choi acknowledged his role in the drug trade and said he smoked marijuana last year. Mobley did not appear at the hearing.

The Seoul police reported that they also busted 16 others suspected of smoking the illegal drug. Among the 16, police said, is a member of a local indie band identified by the surname Seo. He is accused of harvesting 50 grams of marijuana from a mountainside in Jeongseon County, Gangwon, and selling it in nine batches for a total of 1.5 million won. Seo also allegedly smoked marijuana grown on the mountain. The police said university students studying abroad in the United States were among Seo’s clients.

By Kim So-hyun, Kang Jin-kyu [jkkang2@joongang.co.kr]