Police Raid Secret Drug Lab in Luxury Pool Villa, Seize Over 80 Chemical Substances, Arrest Two Chinese Nationals
Police raided a luxury villa in Chachoengsao and arrested two Chinese nationals operating a secret drug lab producing Etomidate, a psychoactive substance mixed into vaping devices. Officers seized over 80 chemical substances and production
At noon on May 19, 2026, Chachoengsao Governor Narit Niramaiyang, accompanied by provincial police commander Maj. Gen. Phongphan Wongmonithes, deputy commander Pol. Col. Wasurachai Chaithairapatthana, and Bang Lamung District Chief Anusak Piriyamorn, along with police and security personnel, conducted a search warrant at a luxury pool villa in Moo 10, Huai Yai Subdistrict, Bang Lamung District, Chachoengsao Province. The operation followed a tip-off from the public about suspicious Chinese nationals illegally mixing chemicals at the residence.
The property, approximately one acre with perimeter walls, contained two residential buildings. Officers discovered over 80 chemical substances in plastic drums, steel drums, and bags on the lower floor. The upper floor had been converted into a laboratory-style facility with three chemical production machines and large glass equipment, all in operation producing Etomidate—commonly called "zombie drug"—a psychoactive substance mixed into e-cigarettes and vaping devices spreading among nighttime party crowds.
Police apprehended two Chinese nationals: 47-year-old Jia Jing Zhuang and 24-year-old Teng Ji. Both face charges of illegal employment. They claimed responsibility only for facility maintenance and equipment operation. Officers subsequently searched a warehouse in Moo 2, Bang Lamung Subdistrict, connected to the villa, discovering 20 and 200-liter chemical drums, glass equipment, scales, and new production apparatus ready for expanded operations.
Chachoengsao Governor Narit Niramaiyang stated the arrest resulted from ongoing investigations following a similar operation two months earlier in Nong Pla Rai Subdistrict. He urged village headmen and residents to report foreign nationals renting properties for illegal chemical production, particularly drug-related manufacturing, which is rapidly spreading in Chachoengsao Province.
Maj. Gen. Phongphan stated investigators tracked behavioral patterns before obtaining the search warrant. Police will coordinate with Region 2 Border Patrol Police, Narcotics Suppression Bureau, and Immigration Bureau to identify chemical sources and prosecute masterminds.
