Zombie Drugs Smuggled in Shampoo Bottles; Busted by Joint Force of CIB and Malaysia Police
A transnational drug ring producing the 'zombie drug' Etomidate in Malaysia and smuggling it into Taiwan inside shampoo bottles was dismantled by Taiwanese and Malaysian police, resulting in multiple arrests and massive drug seizures.
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- 📰 Published: April 23, 2026 at 17:50
- 🔍 Collected: April 23, 2026 at 18:02 (11 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 23, 2026 at 19:37 (1h 35m after Collected)
Central News Agency (Reporter: Liu Chien-pang, Taipei, 23rd) A man surnamed Zhang manufactured drugs in a Kuala Lumpur apartment, smuggling them into Taiwan disguised in containers like shampoo bottles. Cooperating with the Royal Malaysia Police's Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department (NCID), Taiwan's Criminal Investigation Bureau (CIB) announced that Zhang and four other Taiwanese suspects were arrested in Malaysia, while CIB arrested six suspects, including a man surnamed Huang, in Taiwan.
In a press conference today, Yang Kuo-sung, a researcher at CIB's International Criminal Affairs Division, stated that through long-term intelligence exchange and analysis with the Malaysian NCID, they identified a transnational syndicate led by Zhang operating a drug factory in Malaysia.
CIB found that 38-year-old Zhang traveled to Kuala Lumpur in 2024. Seeing the lucrative potential due to the large local Chinese population and booming night economy, he acquired Etomidate, the raw material for "zombie drug" vape cartridges, locally. He imported equipment from China, rented an apartment in KL as a factory, and recruited four Taiwanese men to help manufacture the drugs.
Zhang contacted Huang, who operates in central Taiwan, to help transport the drugs back to Taiwan, where Huang and others, including a man surnamed Jian, would sell them.
To evade customs, Zhang's group liquefied the Etomidate and packaged it in shampoo and body wash bottles. Following Huang's movements to Malaysia, CIB alerted the Malaysian NCID, who tracked them to the drug factory. Local police raided the site in May and June last year, arresting five Taiwanese and two foreign suspects, seizing over 200 kilograms of drugs.
In July last year, CIB executed follow-up interception operations in Taiwan, arresting Huang and five others. They seized six bottles containing over 6 kilograms of Etomidate hidden in body wash containers, with an estimated street value of 24 million NTD.
The six suspects arrested in Taiwan were handed over to prosecutors and subsequently held incommunicado by the court. The five Taiwanese suspects caught in Malaysia, including Zhang, face trial under local jurisdiction. (Editor: Hsiao Po-wen) 1150423
In a press conference today, Yang Kuo-sung, a researcher at CIB's International Criminal Affairs Division, stated that through long-term intelligence exchange and analysis with the Malaysian NCID, they identified a transnational syndicate led by Zhang operating a drug factory in Malaysia.
CIB found that 38-year-old Zhang traveled to Kuala Lumpur in 2024. Seeing the lucrative potential due to the large local Chinese population and booming night economy, he acquired Etomidate, the raw material for "zombie drug" vape cartridges, locally. He imported equipment from China, rented an apartment in KL as a factory, and recruited four Taiwanese men to help manufacture the drugs.
Zhang contacted Huang, who operates in central Taiwan, to help transport the drugs back to Taiwan, where Huang and others, including a man surnamed Jian, would sell them.
To evade customs, Zhang's group liquefied the Etomidate and packaged it in shampoo and body wash bottles. Following Huang's movements to Malaysia, CIB alerted the Malaysian NCID, who tracked them to the drug factory. Local police raided the site in May and June last year, arresting five Taiwanese and two foreign suspects, seizing over 200 kilograms of drugs.
In July last year, CIB executed follow-up interception operations in Taiwan, arresting Huang and five others. They seized six bottles containing over 6 kilograms of Etomidate hidden in body wash containers, with an estimated street value of 24 million NTD.
The six suspects arrested in Taiwan were handed over to prosecutors and subsequently held incommunicado by the court. The five Taiwanese suspects caught in Malaysia, including Zhang, face trial under local jurisdiction. (Editor: Hsiao Po-wen) 1150423