South Korean prosecutors have indicted a Korean-American English teacher for buying illegal drugs through Bitcoin, marking the first criminal case with which the controversial virtual currency has been involved.

The 30-year-old suspect surnamed Jeong is accused of buying nearly 130 ecstasy pills using Bitcoin, the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office said Monday.

The English teacher is said to have used $480 of the cryptocurrency to make the online purchase in January at his home in Gangnam-gu, Seoul. The Korean government does not recognize Bitcoin as an official form of currency, but some people in Korea continue to use it to buy products online.

Jeong reportedly used the drugs with an acquaintance on two separate occasions in June and October.

South Korea is trying to crack down on the growing number of foreigners who circulate illegal drugs in the country.

(sys@heraldcorp.com)