Immigration Police Unit 1 traced and raided a "Pod Mod" production site in the Pratunam area, arresting five suspects from a Vietnamese gang. They found manufacturing equipment and precursor substances worth over 5 million baht in a hotel room, seizing 3,200 items as evidence.
On 24 Oct 2026, under the direction of Police Lieutenant General Nopasil Poolsawat, Commander of the Immigration Bureau, along with Deputy Commanders Police Major General Thanit Thaiwatcharamat and Police Major General Cherngron Rimpadi, and other senior officials, officers from Investigation Division, Immigration Police Unit 1, led by Police Lieutenant Colonel Sutheert Theerasawat, arranged a sting operation. Undercover agents contacted a Vietnamese dealer known as "Tiger," who sold pod mods in Bangkok.
An undercover agent arranged to buy about 3,000 pod mods from Mr. Tiger at approximately 1,500 baht each, totaling over 5 million baht. A meeting to exchange goods was set at a condominium in Pratunam. At the appointed time in the evening, Mr. Tiger met the agent as planned, with Immigration Police officers covertly positioned nearby. Two Vietnamese men accompanied Mr. Tiger.
Mr. Tiger then called his gang to bring motorcycles nearby and led the undercover agent to view the pod mods prepared for sale. Two more Vietnamese men arrived on motorcycles with the goods. After confirming the pod mods matched the purchase agreement, the undercover agent signaled the arrest team, who swiftly apprehended Mr. Tiger and four others, seizing 3,200 pod mod cartridges.
Preliminary testing detected Etomidate, a Category 2 controlled substance, in the pod mod cartridges. Mr. Tiger and the four others were charged with manufacturing, importing, exporting, selling, or possessing Category 2 substances without permission, punishable by up to 1–15 years imprisonment and fines ranging from 100,000 to 1,500,000 baht.
The arrest team then searched the gang's hotel room in Pratunam, uncovering equipment for mixing e-cigarette liquids, precursor chemicals including Etomidate, and numerous tools used in pod mod production. This confirmed the location as their manufacturing and distribution hub in Bangkok. All equipment was confiscated, and the five suspects were sent to investigators for legal action.
The Immigration Bureau warned the public that Etomidate is a fast-acting intravenous anesthetic used medically before surgery but has been illicitly mixed into e-cigarette liquids, becoming known as "zombie cigarettes." This substance severely harms users’ brains and bodies. Illegal drug sales, harboring or aiding foreign offenders, and immigration law violations carry legal penalties.
Authorities urge the public, business owners, accommodation providers, and landlords to monitor suspicious foreign nationals, especially those with unusual comings and goings, involvement with drugs, or suspected illegal immigration. Reports can be made to the Immigration Bureau hotline at 1178 for prompt investigation and enforcement.