Man busted in Gangnam for allegedly dozing at wheel of Mercedes in propofol stupor with syringe in arm
Published: 27 Jan. 2026, 16:22
![The Seocho Police Precinct in Seocho District, southern Seoul, is seen in this file photo [YONHAP]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2026/01/27/00d62db0-a408-40ba-9f0a-4fa039b998cb.jpg)
The Seocho Police Precinct in Seocho District, southern Seoul, is seen in this file photo [YONHAP]
A man was arrested for drug-related offenses after being found asleep at the wheel in the middle of Seoul’s tony Gangnam area, allegedly under the influence of narcotics, Seocho Police Precinct said Monday.
The suspect was caught on Jan. 20 around noon after allegedly driving approximately 3 kilometers (1.9 miles) through Seocho District in a black Mercedes sedan while under the influence of propofol, a general anesthetic.
According to police, the vehicle was observed slowly driving through an intersection against a red light, disrupting traffic, before coming to a stop in a crosswalk.
When the vehicle remained motionless for more than five minutes, a passerby alerted authorities, saying the driver appeared to have lost consciousness.
Officers who responded to the scene found the suspect asleep inside the car, with a syringe still inserted in their wrist.
A search of the vehicle uncovered traces of propofol in the syringe, along with other drugs, including ketamine, a narcotic analgesic. A field drug test on the suspect also came back positive.
Police have requested a detailed toxicology report from the National Forensic Service and are focusing their investigation on the source of the drugs, whether the suspect is a habitual user, and other details surrounding the incident.
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY KO SEUNG-PYO [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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