CIB Dismantles Illegal Pod K Production Operation Using New Synthetic Drugs, Sold Online

Picture courtesy of CIB.

The Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) has successfully dismantled a major illegal operation producing and selling Pod K e-cigarette products laced with a new synthetic drug. The operation, which was running through an online network, involved a 38-year-old man who reportedly sourced the drug mixture while traveling abroad.

At 14:30 on 11 March, Police General Chira Phuridej, Commissioner of the CIB, and Police Major General Sopon Sarapatt, Deputy Commissioner of the CIB, instructed Police Major General Phattanasak Buppasuwan and his team to arrest Mr. Kanachai Ruksansuk, aged 38, and seize items connected to the illicit activities, valued at approximately 3.05 million baht.

The confiscated goods included:

1. 335 Pod K units with e-liquid, valued at 737,000 baht.

2. Gold jewellery, valued at 600,000 baht.

3. A gold bar, worth 1 million baht.

4. Five branded handbags, valued at 200,000 baht.

5. A black Honda City car, worth 450,000 baht.

6. A bankbook with 70,000 baht in the account.

The arrest took place at a condominium on Ratchada-Ram Inthra Road, in the Khan Na Yao district of Bangkok.

Following an investigation into illegal e-cigarette sales through an online platform, police uncovered a Line Open Chat group called “PARTY777,” where more than 2,300 members were discussing and ordering Pod K units containing Etomidate, a synthetic drug. The group, which had 420 followers, advertised e-cigarettes through the platform and shipped orders nationwide via private couriers.

Authorities traced the operation to a condominium on Ratchada-Ram Inthra Road, where they discovered large quantities of Pod K units and other illegal items. Mr. Kanachai, the owner of the e-cigarette sales operation, admitted to producing and distributing Pod K for the past four months, primarily targeting night-time partygoers. He stated that the recipe for mixing the drug into the e-cigarette pods was obtained during a trip to Cambodia, where he learned the formula from fellow travellers. He reported daily earnings of around 20,000 baht from the sales.

Mr. Kanachai was charged with selling banned products, including e-cigarettes and e-liquid, which are prohibited under Thailand’s Consumer Protection Act. The authorities have initiated legal proceedings.

Etomidate, a short-acting sedative first developed in 1964, is typically used in medical settings to induce anaesthesia. It works quickly and is often employed for pain management and inducing a temporary state of unconsciousness.
 

However, misuse of Etomidate, particularly when combined with e-cigarettes, has emerged as a dangerous trend. The drug can cause side effects such as hand tremors, loss of balance, and potentially long-term nerve damage. In severe cases, it may result in respiratory failure.

The drug has gained popularity in certain regions, notably China, as an illicit substance mixed with e-cigarettes. The misuse of Etomidate is now a growing public health concern.

-- 2025-03-12