Drug Ring That Used Injection Assistants and Gang Members to Distribute Anesthetic Busted

According to Financial News, a large number of people have been caught illegally distributing etomidate, often referred to as a "Propofol-like" drug, and administering it to customers at illicit clinics.
On the 10th, the SMPA Metropolitan Investigation Unit’s Narcotics Crime Investigation Unit stated that it had arrested 17 people, including Mr. A, a man in his 40s who heads a pharmaceutical wholesale company, on charges including violations of the Pharmaceutical Affairs Act, and detained 10 of them.
Police said Mr. A and others are suspected of illegally selling 31,600 ampoules of the general anesthetic etomidate to gang members and others between October 2024 and June last year.
In the medical field, etomidate is used as an induction agent for general anesthesia. However, since around 2013, some have abused it for its hallucinogenic and other side effects.
Investigators found that the suspects supplied etomidate at 100,000 to 250,000 won per box, generating about 400 million won in criminal proceeds.
Three men, including Mr. B, a gang member in his 40s who handled mid-level distribution, are accused of reselling the drug to injection vendors at 300,000 to 350,000 won per box.
At the retail injection stage, 12 people including Mr. C, a man in his 40s who operated illegal clinics resembling dermatology practices, allegedly sold etomidate to 44 addicts at 200,000 won per ampoule.
While investigating the abuse of medical narcotics, police received a tip that an illegal clinic disguised as a dermatology practice was operating and launched a probe. During the investigation, they uncovered an organized distribution network running from the wholesale company through mid-level distributors to the final injection vendors.
According to police, the suspects tried to conceal the distribution by falsely reporting the drugs as export shipments or disguising them as transactions between corporations they themselves represented. To evade investigative tracking, they also removed barcodes and other unique identifiers from the product packaging before distribution.
Police estimate that the amount of etomidate distributed in this case was enough for up to 63,200 people to be injected at the same time. They confirmed that gang members were involved in the mid-level distribution, and additional evidence of methamphetamine use was found for some distributors.
The sales organization is believed to have operated clinic-style facilities in the Gangnam area or rented apartments and villas to use as secret injection sites. They wore doctor’s coats and hired assistant nurses and drivers for customer pick-up, running the operation in an organized manner. Some addicts reportedly received injections more than 50 times over a 19-hour period at these covert sites.
Etomidate was procured at about 3,870 won per 10 ml ampoule, but at the final injection stage it was sold for 200,000 won per shot, generating a markup of more than 50 times.
To recover criminal proceeds, police seized 49 million won in cash and placed a pre-indictment preservation order on assets worth about 423 million won, including vehicles. They also confirmed false export declarations and tax evasion by the wholesale company head and notified the Korea Customs Service (KCS) and the tax authorities.
A police official explained, "Etomidate had not previously been classified as a narcotic due to a lack of evidence of dependence and because it was not listed as a narcotic by the UN." The official added, "Based on the findings of this investigation, it will be designated and strictly controlled as a narcotic starting on the 13th." The official also warned, "Those who possess or purchase it may face up to five years in prison or a fine of up to 50 million won."
425_sama@fnnews.com Reporter Choi Seung-han Reporter