B.C. Woman Faces Drug Smuggling Charges in South Korea After Falling Victim to Online Romance Scam
A woman from British Columbia is confronting serious drug-smuggling charges in South Korea, but her family insists she is an innocent victim of a sophisticated online romance scam. Spring Parks, 59, of Surrey, B.C., traveled to South Korea in late January to meet a man she had connected with online, only to be arrested upon arrival with nearly four kilograms of methamphetamine in her luggage.
Family Claims She Was Unwitting Drug Mule
According to her daughter Lorrene, the family was unaware of Spring's travel plans until they received a distressing text message from her on February 1. "We had no idea she was leaving or going on a trip, which is unusual," Lorrene explained. "So, we didn't really truly find out until the morning of Feb. 1, when we received a text message from my mom saying: 'Hey, I'm in Korea. I'm being arrested as a drug mule. And I thought I was in love with somebody, but it was a lie.'"
That message was the last direct communication the family had with Spring, who remains in custody in South Korea. The family has since hired legal representation to assist with her case.
Details of the Scam and Arrest
Spring Parks left Canada at the end of January after being wooed online by a man calling himself Tyler. He allegedly instructed her to stop in South Africa to collect a suitcase before continuing her journey to South Korea. When she arrived at her destination, border guards discovered the methamphetamine in her luggage, leading to her immediate arrest.
Lorrene revealed that her mother's email correspondence indicated she was victimized by the scammer, whose account was traced to Nigeria. "They've just disappeared," she said. "We know that his account was based in Nigeria, and that's why she went to South Africa to pick up the bag. But, yeah, the person is mysterious. Doesn't actually exist."
The family learned that Spring had fallen prey to what is sometimes called the Tyler Hynes scam or Hallmark Romance Scam, where fraudsters impersonate Canadian actor Tyler Hynes to extract money from victims online.
Legal Challenges and Family Support
Spring Parks faces severe penalties under South Korea's Narcotics Control Act, which allows for the death penalty for drug smuggling, though the country has maintained a moratorium on capital punishment since 1998. The law also permits imprisonment with labor for indefinite terms, with sentences of 10 years or more being common.
Complicating matters, Spring is deaf and uses American Sign Language as her first language, and she does not speak Korean. Her lawyer, Sean Hayes, told CTV News that "her spirits are OK. Not great, but OK," adding, "She is in prison and it's not a pleasant place to be anywhere." Hayes emphasized, "We genuinely believe that, No. 1, she doesn't know what was in the packages (and) No. 2, that she was a victim here."
To support Spring, her daughters Lorrene and Andrea Parks have established a GoFundMe page to cover legal fees, ASL interpreter costs, ongoing support while she is incarcerated, and assistance for rebuilding her life upon her eventual return home.
The case highlights the dangers of online romance scams and their potential to escalate into serious criminal situations, leaving families grappling with legal and emotional turmoil across international borders.
