According to the HCMC Police Department’s Drug Crime Investigation Division, an investigation was launched in early July into an illicit Etomidate trafficking ring allegedly headed by Malaysian national Hoo Jia How and Singaporean national Melvin Tan Junjie.
Police arrested Melvin Tan Junjie and Oh Jang Fong, both Singaporean nationals, and Hoo Jia How at around 6 p.m. on July 17. They seized 1,331 pods containing Etomidate and 140 ml of Etomidate liquid used to refill the pods.
Investigators found that the suspects had rented a house on Cong Quynh Street in Cau Ong Lanh Ward as a facility for injecting the drug-laced liquid into pods before selling them to distributors for further distribution or illegal use.
Expanding the investigation, police also dismantled two distribution branches allegedly run by Le Ton Nu Diem Thuy in Tan Thuan Ward and Tran Dinh Canh in Binh Phu Ward.
Police have so far questioned 76 people linked to the case and launched a criminal case, prosecuting 65 suspects, including ten foreign nationals — four Singaporeans, four Malaysians, and two Taiwanese (Chinese) nationals.
Authorities seized nearly 2,000 pods containing Etomidate and 140 ml of Etomidate liquid.
HCMC police said the investigation is continuing and further legal action will be taken in accordance with the law.
