Ho Chi Minh City police seize 1,670 drug‑laden e‑cigarette pods in major Etomidate bust

Vietnamese police in Ho Chi Minh City dismantled a large network that disguised the anesthetic Etomidate, plus ketamine and methamphetamine, inside disposable e‑cigarette devices known as “pod chill”. The operation resulted in the arrest of 49 suspects, including the couple Nguyen Hữu Huân and Ngô Thị Kim Chi, and the seizure of 1,670 drug‑filled pods. Investigators traced part of the supply chain to Cambodia, where a separate cell imported the pods through informal border crossings in An Giang province, and also uncovered a branch that supplied the drugs to foreign nationals.

In a separate enforcement action, Da Nang police detained Nguyen Đăng Khánh Dũng after a rapid test showed methamphetamine use, despite his prior rehabilitation. The case highlights ongoing efforts by Vietnamese authorities to curb illegal drug consumption and distribution nationwide.