Police in eastern China have busted a cross-border drug trafficking gang that allegedly involved a retired chemistry professor and a younger graduate with a degree in chemistry, the South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported, with users on local social media already calling it a real-life version of Breaking Bad , a popular American crime drama that aired from 2008 to 2013.
The operation took nearly two years to crack, according to the media outlet. The probe began back in 2024 when authorities in Shandong province noticed something odd about a pharmaceutical technology company, which bought unusually large quantities of six chemicals used to make etomidate, a strong synthetic drug often found in illicit “zombie vapes”.
As the investigation progressed, police traced the purchases to a man surnamed Huang, who has a master’s degree in chemistry and background experience in selling e-cigarettes in Shenzhen. The report also mentioned that Huang had worked at the pharmaceutical firm for just three months before walking away. The police later found that they only produced etomidate’s precursor chemicals in China, then shipped them abroad to labs in Vietnam, Thailand, and Cambodia for final processing. Police from different nations worked simultaneously to crack the case. The suspects are currently awaiting trial. Under
They arrested 71 suspects in coordinated raids across those countries and seized roughly 73 kilograms of finished etomidate, five tonnes of active ingredients, and a full setup of laboratory equipment. Authorities reportedly said that Huang earned over 5 million yuan (about $750,000) from the illegal business.
The drug was placed under strict state control in China in 2023 because high doses can cause serious harm or even death, according to the report.
