Bangkok Bust: Police Nab "Zombie E-Cigarette" Producer in Ram Inthra

[snoop1130]

Picture courtesy of MGR Online

 

In a significant crackdown, Thai police apprehended a suspect in Bangkok's Ram Inthra area for allegedly producing and distributing illegal e-cigarettes laced with the anaesthetic drug etomidate, dubbed "zombie e-cigarettes."

 

On March 11, Police Major General Pattanasak Bupphasuwan of the Consumer Protection Police Division spearheaded a raid on a condominium, targeting the illicit production site. The suspect, a 39-year-old man named Kanchai, was detained, and authorities seized over 300 e-cigarette cartridges, 12 bottles of etomidate, and various production tools.

 

Etomidate, a powerful anaesthetic sourced from China, was mixed locally to enhance the e-cigarettes' intoxication effects, making them popular among nightlife tourists in entertainment venues and hotspots. This poses a severe health risk to users, authorities warned.

 

 

Investigations revealed Kanchai used LINE chat groups to conduct sales. A sting operation tracked his financial dealings, identifying him as a key figure mixing and distributing the enhanced e-cigarettes domestically.

 

Kanchai operated from his cannabis shop and condominium, selling the "zombie" cartridges online for 2,200 baht (approximately US$65) each. This illicit business reportedly netted him an average daily income of 20,000 baht (approximately US$593) over the past three to four months.

 

Police Colonel Kraiwit Leelasiri noted this is Thailand's first case of domestically mixed etomidate in e-cigarettes, as such substances are typically smuggled. Kanchai admitted to purchasing the base liquids from standard suppliers and the etomidate from a Chinese smuggler, marking a significant breakthrough in the battle against drug-laced e-cigarettes in the region, reported The Thaiger.

 

-- 2025-03-12

 

 

[Tropicalevo]

The sad thing is that many folk think that vaping is safe.