Suspects arrested in connection with an alleged drug-laced e-cigarette trafficking ring are seen after being detained in HCM City. Police said the network involved 65 suspects, including 10 foreign nationals accused of playing key roles in the operation. — Photo courtesy of HCM City Police

HCM CITY — Police in HCM City have arrested 65 people, including 10 foreign nationals, for allegedly operating a drug trafficking network that mixed the anaesthetic Etomidate into e-cigarette liquid and sold the products to Vietnamese and foreign customers, authorities said on Saturday.

Those arrested include four Singaporeans, four Malaysians and two Taiwanese, according to the HCM City Police Department's Drug Crime Investigation Division (PC04).

Police identified Malaysian national Hoo Jia How, 30, and Singaporean Melvin Tan Junjie, 30, as the alleged ringleaders.

The investigation began in early July after officers detected signs of the operation. Following weeks of surveillance, police raided a rented house on Cống Quỳnh Street in Cầu Ông Lãnh Ward, arresting the two men and seizing 1,331 e-cigarette cartridges and 140 millilitres of Etomidate-infused liquid.

Investigators later arrested another Singaporean, Oh Jang Fong, who is accused of supplying the Etomidate liquid used to fill the cartridges.

Police allege that the group injected the drug into e-cigarette pods before distributing the products through local dealers. The pods were sold to both Vietnamese and foreign customers, with some buyers allegedly reselling them or organising drug use.

Further raids dismantled two additional distribution networks, bringing the total number of arrests to 65.

Authorities seized nearly 2,000 drug-laced e-cigarette cartridges and 140 millilitres of Etomidate liquid.

Etomidate is an anaesthetic used in medicine but has increasingly been abused by mixing it into e-cigarette liquid. Việt Nam classified the substance as a narcotic on early this year.

Police said the products were promoted with misleading claims such as "won't show up on drug tests" and "not a narcotic", giving users the false impression that they were safe.

Authorities warned that inhaling Etomidate can initially cause relaxation and euphoria but may also lead to drowsiness, impaired awareness, slowed reflexes and loss of coordination. In severe cases, it can cause seizures, respiratory depression, low blood pressure and death.

The investigation is continuing. — VNS