Singaporean Arrested in Indonesia’s Jakarta After Police Bust Alleged Etomidate Vape Lab Linked to Drug Syndicate

A 34-year-old Singaporean man has been arrested in northern Jakarta after Indonesian authorities uncovered an alleged home-based operation producing etomidate-laced vape cartridges, commonly known as Kpods.

The suspect, identified by local media outlet IDN Times by the initials LHM and the alias Hayden, was detained on July 17 during a joint operation carried out by airport police and customs officials.

According to Indonesia’s state news agency Antara, authorities raided a house in the upscale Pantai Indah Kapuk (PIK) neighborhood, where the suspect was allegedly mixing or preparing etomidate when officers entered the premises.

Vape Cartridges and Lab Equipment Seized

Investigators recovered thousands of ready-for-distribution vape cartridges believed to contain etomidate, along with mini laboratory equipment allegedly used to manufacture the products.

“We arrested a foreign national from Singapore and seized thousands of pieces of evidence during the operation,” Soekarno-Hatta International Airport Police chief, Senior Commissioner Wisnu Wardana, was quoted as saying by state news agency Antara.

He added that the suspect was cooking or mixing the etomidate when airport police and customs agencies carried out the raid, according to IDN Times.

The authorities have since transferred both the suspect and the seized evidence to the Soekarno-Hatta International Airport Police for further investigation.

A Larger Drug Operation?

The police believe that the house was part of a wider drug syndicate operating in Indonesia.

According to Antara, investigators found that the home-based production site had begun manufacturing the vape cartridges only one day before the raid. Officials are now working to determine how many cartridges had already been produced and how long the operation had been active.

The property has since been sealed as investigators continue gathering evidence.

Another Singaporean Allegedly Rented the Property

The head of the Soekarno-Hatta International Airport Police Narcotics Unit, Michael Kharisma Tandayu, said the residence had been rented by another Singaporean, who allegedly recruited the arrested man to manufacture approximately 500 etomidate vape cartridges each day.

Michael also said the suspect had arrived in Indonesia on July 13, according to IDN Times.

The authorities have not publicly identified the second Singaporean, and investigations into the individual’s alleged involvement remain ongoing.

Raid Followed Interception of Smuggled Etomidate

Officials said the raid was the result of a broader investigation that began after customs officers intercepted two bottles containing 2,200 grams of etomidate that had allegedly been smuggled into Indonesia from Malaysia.

According to police, the seized substance was sufficient to produce as many as 2,000 vape cartridges.

The interception prompted airport police and customs authorities to launch a joint operation aimed at identifying and dismantling the network responsible for the suspected smuggling operation.

Their investigation ultimately led officers to the house in Pantai Indah Kapuk, where the alleged production facility was uncovered.

Indonesian authorities have not yet announced whether additional arrests are expected, but investigations into the suspected drug syndicate are continuing.

Officials are working to determine the full scale of the alleged operation, including its production capacity, distribution network, and any individuals connected to the manufacturing and smuggling of etomidate-laced vape cartridges.