Propofol abuse at Gangnam clinic: Clinic director, manager arrested

Authorities have apprehended six individuals connected to a Seoul dermatology clinic for the repeated illegal administration of propofol. Among those arrested are the clinic's director and manager, who are now in custody. The arrests follow an investigation by the Suwon Jangan Police Station.

According to police reports, from June 2025 to March 2026, the clinic in Seoul's Gangnam district allegedly recruited individuals with a history of propofol addiction through social media platforms. Patients were reportedly charged between 300,000 and 1 million won per session for the illegal drug, administered without being recorded in the official medical records.

The clinic utilized patient lists obtained through skin and plastic surgery applications, as well as existing customer databases. Notably, some clinic staff members had previously worked at other Gangnam dermatology clinics and were under investigation for similar illegal drug use activities. Despite this, they allegedly moved between clinics, continuing their illicit operations using their established lists of drug-dependent clients.

During a raid on the clinic's safe, police confiscated 27.88 million won in cash. Authorities are now working to identify and trace the proceeds from the illegal propofol sales, with plans to file for pre-prosecution confiscation. Police officials emphasized that drug-related crimes pose a significant threat to national and economic systems, and they are committed to continued crackdowns in cooperation with relevant agencies like the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, despite the challenges of investigating clandestine medical drug abuse.

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Drug crimes are a major target for eradication that destroy the entire national socio-economic system. Especially the misuse of medical narcotics occurs secretly within hospitals and clinics, making investigations difficult, but we will continue to crack down in organic cooperation with related agencies such as the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety.