A conscript surnamed Tsao (曹) is suspected of smuggling more than 50 “zombie vapes” into a training center, in a case potentially involving several military personnel, the Hsinchu District Prosecutors’ Office said today.
The man serves in the 1st Battalion of the 109th Infantry Brigade and the incident occurred at a training center in Hsinchu County’s Hukou Township (湖口).
Several other military members are suspected to be involved, leading to Hsinchu military police investigating and referring the case to the prosecutors’ office under drug-related charges.
Photo: Taipei Times
“Zombie vapes” are made from etomidate, a type of central nervous system depressant that can induce anesthesia.
Prosecutors did not reveal more details to the public, although it is understood that their request to detain Tsao was denied.
The 6th Army Command, of which the 109th brigade is a part, in a statement confirmed that Tsao was found with the vapes on Sunday during a security check, and that the case had been transferred to prosecutors for further investigation.
The army has a firm no-tolerance drug policy, and the unit would fully cooperate with the investigation and reinforce its anti-drug education program and policies, it said.
The case comes after Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) attended the Executive Yuan’s public security meeting on Monday, during which officials called out the dangers of new drugs such as etomidate.
The Food and Drug Administration is to meet tomorrow to discuss reclassifying etomidate as a Category II narcotic.
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