Ho Chi Minh City police bust 3 etomidate trafficking rings led by Malaysians, Singaporeans

The latest arrests stem from an expanded investigation launched after authorities uncovered a trafficking ring of e-cigarette pods containing etomidate, allegedly headed by a Cambodian national, reported national broadcaster Vietnam Television.

Etomidate is a short-acting medical anesthetic that can cause severe dizziness, loss of motor control, and cardiovascular collapse when abused or consumed in uncontrolled doses.

Vietnam officially banned the production, trade, import, and use of e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products starting January 1, 2025.

According to the drug crime investigation unit under the municipal Department of Public Security, traffickers operated through a tightly organized hierarchy.

Foreign ringleaders reportedly directed the networks, while Vietnamese accomplices handled secondary distribution before the e-cigarette pods containing etomidate reached consumers.

To evade detection, the suspects rented houses in narrow alleyways to serve as storage and distribution hubs.

Following surveillance and coordinated raids, investigators seized thousands of etomidate-laced pods.

Lieutenant Colonel Tran Vo Nhat Cuong, head of Team 5 under the drug crime investigation unit, said the trafficking network was a closed operation managed by foreign nationals, with multiple distribution layers designed to move the products efficiently into the local market.

The e-cigarette pods containing etomidate mainly targeted young people.

Investigators said many suspects initially attempted to obstruct questioning by communicating in their native languages.

However, police said that evidence gathered during the investigation, combined with forensic and investigative techniques, ultimately led the suspects to admit their involvement.

Within just three days of pursuing leads provided by one of the alleged ringleaders, Team 5 arrested nearly 70 suspects, the highest number ever detained in a single probe.

Police estimate that each etomidate-laced pod generated profits of VND1-1.5 million (US$38-57).

Traffickers were capable of selling between 500 and 2,000 units within a short period.

The latest operation follows an intensive month-long crackdown on etomidate trafficking in Ho Chi Minh City.

During that period, police dismantled six trafficking networks, prosecuted more than 100 suspects, including over 14 foreign nationals, and seized more than 5,000 e-cigarette pod cartridges containing etomidate.