Police Raid Vape Cartridge Factory Containing Etomidate in Tangerang

The Metro Jaya Police Narcotics Directorate raided a clandestine laboratory producing Schedule II narcotics of the type etomidate in the River Side Apartment, Tangerang Regency, on Friday (17/4) around 19:00 WIB. The raid stemmed from public information regarding suspected narcotics distribution activities in the area. Following investigation, police arrested the suspect with initials CK (40), a Malaysian national. The Metro Jaya Police Narcotics Directorate’s Head, Commissioner Ahmad David, stated that CK is suspected of acting as the manager and operator of the etomidate liquid production in the form of vape cartridges. “We have secured one suspected perpetrator named CK, a Malaysian national,” David said in his statement on Tuesday (21/4). In addition, police conducted a search of the apartment unit used by CK and seized several pieces of evidence. These included 30 litres of propylene glycol liquid up to 2,539.44 grams of etomidate powder, estimated to be able to produce up to 380,996 ready-to-distribute vape cartridges. Furthermore, hundreds of cartridges containing etomidate liquid were seized, along with production equipment such as a press machine, liquid injection tools, mixers, and scales. “From all the evidence seized, if converted to the black market value of the narcotics evidence, the Metro Jaya Police has confiscated assets worth Rp762 billion and has saved 380,996 souls of DKI Jakarta residents from the dangers of drug abuse,” David explained. From preliminary investigations, David said, CK is suspected of having distributed approximately 1,409 vape cartridges containing etomidate. Currently, the suspect along with the evidence has been brought to the Metro Jaya Police Narcotics Directorate Headquarters for further investigation.