The couple raised 27 million won (US$ 24,400) by selling 10㎖ of the liquid for 49,000 won (US$ 44). (image:Yonahap)
SEOUL, Feb. 12 (Korea Bizwire) — A teen couple in Korea was arrested for illegally compounding and selling liquid nicotine used in electronic cigarettes.
The Gangdong Police Agency in Seoul said on February 11 that the couple is accused of having made 668 online transactions of e-cigar liquid nicotine made with undiluted liquid nicotine over the last six months.
The couple raised 27 million won (US$ 24,400) by selling 10㎖ of the liquid for 49,000 won (US$ 44). The police estimated that they have sold more than 50ℓ of the liquid, which corresponds to hundreds of millions of won (tens of thousands of US dollars) at legal market prices, since 10㎖ of the liquid sells for 150,000 won (US$ 135) on the open market.
According to the police, undiluted liquid nicotine is a highly toxic substance, and is banned from commercial purchase without a business license. However, the arrested teens compounded e-cigar liquid without taking any safety measures, solely based on information found online.
The teens led customers into thinking that they were purchasing products from a licensed seller by displaying a business license card for alcohol on the illegal transaction webpage. The couple also sold undiluted liquid nicotine to some customers while providing detailed how-to instructions for compounding e-cigar liquid.
By J.W. Choi (summerchoi@koreabizwire.com)
