TOP Formally Charged For Illegal Use Of Marijuana; Big Bang Member Has Yet To Regain Consciousness For Drug Overdose
TOP has been formally charged in connection with his marijuana use in October 2016. Although he was indicted, the Big Bang member will not be jailed as per the prosecutor's verdict.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office that the 29-year-old idol was first suspected of marijuana last year and he did it on four occasions. It was also proven that he smoked with a female trainee in his home in Seoul.
Initially, TOP denied the allegations when he was questioned at that time. However, he changed his stance when the police presented the results of his drug testing. The authorities had TOP's hair tested and it yielded a positive result for marijuana use.
The idol also later admitted to the investigators that he smoked weed last year, but denied inhaling the cannabis in liquid form through e-cigarette. Following his admission, TOP wrote a letter to his fans, to apologize for his wrongdoing and disappointing them.
YG United News reported that after he was indicted, TOP was expelled from the Gangnam police station where he was assigned. He has been fulfilling his military service as a conscripted policeman when the scandal broke out.
It is yet to be determined if the Big Bang member could resume his army service. But one thing is sure, he will not be assigned to the same post again.
TOP's case will still be tried in court and since it was already proven that he did something illegal, the harshest punishment that he can get is a 5-year jail term or a fine of up to KRW50 million or roughly US$44,730.
Meanwhile, TOP has yet to wake up from a deep sleep that resulted from tranquilizer overdose. He was rushed to the ER on June 6 after his peers could not wake him up and he was sweating heavily.
