Hanoi police have dismantled a large-scale network accused of trafficking and repackaging liquid containing the drug Etomidate as vaping products, with transactions through related bank accounts totaling about $3.8 million.
On August 27, the Criminal Police Division of Hanoi Police said it had coordinated with other specialized units to break up a large-scale network allegedly involved in the illegal sale and repackaging of liquid containing Etomidate.
People linked to the case speak with investigators at a police station. Photo: Police
Investigators identified Ngo Thi Trang, born in 1990 and a resident of Vo Cuong Ward in Bac Ninh, as the alleged ringleader.
Trang, together with Hoang Van Khue, born in 1992, and his wife Pham Thi Nhan, born in 1993, both residents of Hai Phong, allegedly purchased Etomidate in solid form before processing it into liquid for use in vaping products.
The group allegedly worked with Nguyen Thi Le, Pham Ngoc Duy and Nguyen Thi Hoai to distribute the products. Hoai then assigned a wider network of distributors in Hanoi, Lang Son, Hai Phong, Tuyen Quang, Phu Tho and other localities.
Police said the network had traded hundreds of liters of liquid containing Etomidate, along with tens of thousands of mouthpieces and hundreds of thousands of pods, heating components and other accessories.
The products were disguised as electronic cigarettes and distributed to thousands of users.
Investigators estimated that transactions through bank accounts linked to the network totaled around $3.8 million, while illegal revenue amounted to more than $380,000.
Police have so far summoned 47 people in connection with the case. Photo: Police
Hanoi police simultaneously searched nine locations in Hanoi, Quang Ninh, Bac Ninh and Lang Son and summoned 47 people in connection with the case.
Officers seized seven bottles containing 2,450ml of liquid suspected of containing drugs, as well as 650 mouthpieces holding around 570ml of liquid. Preliminary testing found that the liquid samples contained Etomidate.
Police also seized around 12,000 mouthpieces, 35,000 containers, 1,150 vaping devices and numerous heating components and other accessories.
Around $134,000 held in bank accounts belonging to people connected with the case was also frozen.
The Investigation Police Agency of Hanoi Police is continuing to expand the investigation, clarify the roles of those involved and take further action in accordance with the law.
Vietnamnet.vn
Podcast
.svg){kind=icon}
