Vietnamese authorities have arrested 65 individuals, including four Singaporeans, for their alleged involvement in a transnational syndicate that produced and trafficked e-cigarette pods laced with the anesthetic etomidate. The operation, centered in Ho Chi Minh City, was uncovered following weeks of police surveillance that began in early July. Among those detained are 10 foreign nationals, with police identifying a Singaporean and a Malaysian as the alleged ringleaders of the network.
The investigation revealed that the syndicate operated out of rented houses in narrow alleyways to avoid detection. Investigators allege that the group injected etomidate—a medical anesthetic that can cause severe dizziness, loss of motor control, and cardiovascular collapse when abused—into empty e-cigarette pods. These products, often referred to as Kpods, were then distributed to both local and foreign customers. Authorities seized nearly 2,000 of these laced pods and 140 milliliters of the anesthetic liquid during their raids.
One of the arrested Singaporeans, 30-year-old Oh Jiang Fong, had previously been reported missing by his family after he became uncontactable during a trip to Vietnam. He is accused of supplying the etomidate liquid used by the syndicate to fill the cartridges. The arrests follow a broader crackdown by Vietnamese police, who have dismantled multiple distribution networks linked to the operation. The investigation remains ongoing as authorities work to identify other potential participants in the trafficking ring.