Two Indian nationals have been arrested at Suvarnabhumi International Airport after Thai Customs seized more than 16 kilogrammes of etomidate, a controlled substance increasingly linked to so-called “zombie cigarettes.”
The arrests were announced yesterday, July 6, after the Suvarnabhumi Airport Passenger Customs Office revealed that officers had intercepted two separate smuggling attempts within four days. Customs officers, working with the Investigation and Suppression Division, seized a total of 16.59 kilogrammes of etomidate.
According to the office, etomidate is an anaesthetic that should only be used in medical facilities under the supervision of healthcare professionals.
However, it has increasingly been mixed into e-cigarette liquid to produce so-called “zombie cigarettes”. The drug can cause drowsiness, dizziness and loss of bodily control before suppressing the central nervous system, potentially leading to unconsciousness, respiratory arrest and death.
The office described the substance as an emerging threat that has spread in several countries, particularly among younger demographics.
The first arrest took place on June 30, when customs officers stopped an Indian man arriving from Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Officers allegedly found 10.43 kilogrammes of etomidate hidden inside his luggage, with an estimated value of more than 26 million baht.
The second arrest followed on July 3 after officers became suspicious of luggage belonging to an Indian man arriving from Mumbai, India. A search allegedly uncovered 6.16 kilogrammes of etomidate concealed inside his suitcase, valued at more than 15 million baht.
Amarin TV reported that in total, Customs officers seized 16.59 kilogrammes of etomidate worth more than 41 million baht.
The suspects were handed over to investigators for legal proceedings over alleged offences under Thailand’s Narcotics Code and Customs Act.
According to Thailand’s Food and Drug Administration (FDA), etomidate was reclassified as a Category 2 psychotropic substance in July last year, 2025, after authorities found it was being mixed into e-cigarette liquid to produce zombie cigarettes.
The FDA said anyone found possessing or distributing products containing etomidate can face up to seven years in prison and a fine of up to 700,000 baht. If the offence is committed for commercial purposes, the penalty increases to one to 15 years in prison and a fine of 100,000 to 1.5 million baht.
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