Metro Jaya Police Uncover Etomidate Vape Lab in North Jakarta and Tangerang Apartments

The Narcotics Directorate of the Jakarta Metropolitan Police has dismantled a clandestine laboratory used to produce the narcotic etomidate. The laboratory was located in an apartment in the Tangerang area and was expanded to an apartment in the Penjaringan area of North Jakarta.

Police arrested a foreign national from China who is known to have been carrying out the production and distribution of etomidate for approximately one month. During that period, the anaesthetic etomidate, packaged in the form of vape liquid, is suspected to have been marketed three times.

Police detected that at least 15,000 vape cartridges containing etomidate have circulated within the jurisdiction of the Jakarta Metropolitan Police.

“The Jakarta Metropolitan Police will release and convey the results of the disclosure of an international narcotics crime network involving a Chinese citizen,” said the Director of Narcotics Investigation of the Jakarta Metropolitan Police, Senior Commissioner Ahmad David, to reporters on Thursday (13/8/2026).

According to David, the perpetrator disguised his residence in the apartment by designing the room in such a way as to serve as a cartridge manufacturing laboratory. The modus operandi for selling to the public used a drop point system and communication through social media.

“I need to explain that before us all, this is the evidence that was successfully secured, namely 350 units of ready-to-use etomidate cartridges, and 2.8 kilograms of raw material for making etomidate,” he said.

“If produced, the raw material could yield 14,000 cartridge units containing etomidate. We also explain that this raw material was imported from Vietnam,” David continued.

He urged the public to participate in providing information if there are indications of illicit drug distribution in their neighbourhoods. He also invited the public to stay away from illegal drugs in order to realise a brilliant young generation of Indonesia.

“Currently, the perpetrator along with all evidence and supporting equipment have been taken to the Narcotics Directorate office of the Jakarta Metropolitan Police for further examination,” he stressed.