Police detain Cambodian national for allegedly using new 'rush' drug

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Published: 03 Mar. 2026, 15:37

The image shows the police emblem [YONHAP]

A Cambodian national who was staying in Korea illegally has been detained on charges of purchasing and using a new type of drug known as “rush.”

The Gwangju Bukbu Police Precinct said Tuesday that it has taken the suspect into custody on charges of violating the Narcotics Control Act and is investigating the case.

The suspect is accused of receiving the drug by parcel delivery at his residence in North Chungcheong at around 10 p.m. on May 15 last year and using it once.

Rush is a liquid substance containing isobutyl nitrite, which has been designated as a temporary narcotic. It is also known as poppers. The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety classified it as a Class 1 narcotic last year.

Police are questioning the suspect about the circumstances of the case and are continuing their investigation to track down the supplier and others higher up the distribution chain.

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 JEONG HYE-JEONG [[email protected]]