Illegal chemical plant geared to make 'zombie pods'Drug suppression police arrest a Chinese suspect at an illegal chemical plant in Bang Bo district, Samut Prakan, on Saturday, and seize chemicals used to make the illegal vape drug known as "zombie pods". (Photo: Narcotics Control Board)Officials raided an illegal factory in Samut Prakan province and seized tonnes of smuggled chemicals that could have been used to produce half a million "zombie pods". Police found and impounded 11.9 tonnes of contraband chemicals used for the production of the anaesthetic etomidate - ethanol, hydrochloric acid, p-Toluenesulfonic acid and glycerine. During the raid in Samut Prakan, the Chinese factory operator was arrested and was being questioned. The chemicals seized in Samut Prakan were enough to produce about 504,000 e-cigarettes with etomidate content, known as “zombie pods", worth about 900 million baht in total.

Source: Bangkok Post April 05, 2026 16:16 UTC