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3 clusters · 11 sources · 11 days · First seen · Last updated

Southeast Asia Etomidate vape crackdown

Overview

Vietnamese police continue a regional crackdown on the illicit use of the anesthetic Etomidate in disposable e‑cigarette pods. After the 22 July operation that seized 1,670 drug‑filled pods and led to 49 arrests, authorities uncovered a larger network on 2 August. The Ho Chi Minh City police dismantled a ring that produced about 10 L of Etomidate‑infused oil, enough for roughly 5,000 pods, and seized 1,460 pre‑filled pods, 13,500 empty shells, 595 devices and related mixing equipment. Led by 24‑year‑old Lê Quang Trọng, the group smuggled Etomidate from Cambodia, processed it locally, and distributed the disguised product to schools, universities and other youth venues in Ho Chi Minh City and surrounding provinces. A total of 37 suspects were arrested, with 30 placed in temporary detention while investigations continue. The crackdown follows a similar Taiwanese operation in early June that targeted “zombie vape” products and classified Etomidate and medetomidine as Schedule‑1 narcotics. Together, these actions illustrate coordinated law‑enforcement efforts across Southeast Asia to curb the cross‑border trafficking of Etomidate‑laden vaping products that pose serious health risks to young people.

Entities

Lê Quang Trọng · Ho Chi Minh City Police · Cambodia · Etomidate · Pod Chill

Timeline

  1. 25 days ago

    [CRIME] 4 sources
    Ho Chi Minh City police bust large Etomidate‑laden Pod Chill drug ring

    Ho Chi Minh City police busted a large drug ring that used Pod Chill e‑cigarette pods to hide Etomidate, seizing 1,460 pods, 10 L of drug‑infused oil and arresting 37 suspects, including leader Lê Quang Trọng.

  2. about 1 month ago

    [CRIME] 2 sources
    Taiwan police seize Etomidate‑infused vape devices in Hsinchu and Taoyuan

    Taiwanese police bust Etomidate‑based “zombie vape” operations in Hsinchu and arrest a Taoyuan woman using the drug‑laced e‑cigarette, highlighting a crackdown on the new synthetic‑drug market.

  3. about 1 month ago

    [CRIME] 7 sources
    Ho Chi Minh City police seize 1,670 drug‑laden e‑cigarette pods in major Etomidate bust

    Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City police busted a 49‑person network selling Etomidate‑laden e‑cigarette pods, seizing 1,670 units; Da Nang police also arrested a meth‑using former addict.

Sources

cafebiz.vn · cafef.vn · epochtimes.com · erzsebetter.hu · kenh14.vn · lubicsszilvi.webnode.hu · m.soha.vn · nobilissimavisione.blogs.sapo.pt · soha.vn · thanhnien.com.vn · tienphong.vn