Taichung police today arrested a suspected drug dealer and seized etomidate used in “zombie vapes” and other drugs in a raid on his laboratory, as lawmakers called for etomidate to be upgraded to a Category 2 narcotic.
A 45-year-old man, surnamed Feng (馮), was suspected to be involved in selling “zombie vapes” after being found to be producing the drug that contains etomidate in his laboratory in Hsinchu County (新竹縣), as well as selling heroin, a Category 1 narcotic, and amphetamine, which is Category 2, the Criminal Investigation Corps of the Taichung City Police Department said.
“Zombie vapes” are e-cigarettes that contain etomidate, a type of hypnotic agent that can induce anesthesia, and which can cause addiction and health problems.
Photo: CNA
The police also seized tools and raw materials used in making drugs, two mobile phones and NT$70,000 in cash from Feng’s residence.
Feng is being prosecuted under the Narcotics Hazard Prevention Act (毒品危害防制條例), the police said.
Etomidate should be listed as a Category 2 drug to combat drug abuse among young people, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislators Wu Chi-ming (吳琪銘), Lee Kuen-cheng (李坤城) and Chen Hsiu-pao (陳秀寳) said at a press conference today.
The proliferation of “zombie vapes” in campuses is worrying, Chen said, urging the Ministry of Education to work with the police, social and welfare departments to address the issue.
Lee called for collaboration between the Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Ministry of Digital Affairs to combat online sales of e-cigarettes, adding that the Ministry of Finance’s Customs Administration should prevent the smuggling of etomidate.
There was a four-month window period after the drug was listed as a Category 3 narcotic, Wu said, urging the Executive Yuan, the Ministry of Justice and relevant authorities to immediately start discussing upgrading the drug to Category 2.
A narcotics review committee meeting would be convened early next month to discuss whether to upgrade the drug to Category 2, Ministry of Justice Department of Prosecutorial Affairs Director-General Kuo Yung-fa (郭永發) said.
Additional reporting by Chen Tsai-ling, Lin Hui-chin and Esme Yeh
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