Seventeen people have been indicted for habitually smoking and selling marijuana, including the heirs of several family-owned conglomerates. 

The Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office said on Thursday that ten people have been charged and placed under arrest on charges of violating the narcotics law, including the grandson of Namyang Dairy Products founder and the grandson of Kiswire founder. 

Both are accused of possessing, smoking and distributing the drug.

Seven others were indicted without pretrial detention, including the grandson of Hyosung Group founder and the son of a former National Police Agency commissioner general.

The prosecution placed three others, who have fled overseas, on the wanted list.

The case came to light during a supplementary investigation by prosecutors of a broker last September, identified by his surname Kim, referred by the police on charges of marijuana cultivation.