Taipei, Taiwan — July 17, 2025
In a major crackdown on illegal narcotics, the Taipei City Police Department announced that from January to June 2025, it dismantled 87 drug-mixing and packaging operations, confiscated over 2,600 drug-related items, and apprehended nearly 2,800 suspects, including 921 involved in etomidate-type drugs. Among the seized items were over 15,000 packets of drug-laced coffee, 69 kilograms of etomidate-based drug oils, and 1,152 drug-infused cigarette cartridges.
To reinforce its anti-drug efforts, the police conducted a large-scale destruction operation on July 10 at the Muzha Incinerator, where more than 1,400 pieces of third- and fourth-class narcotics—totaling around 140 kilograms and valued at over NT$170 million—were incinerated. The destroyed substances included ketamine, drug-laced coffee sachets, and vape cartridges. Notably, ketamine made up approximately 81% of the drugs incinerated.
Due to the recent reclassification of etomidate-type drugs as second-class controlled substances, their disposal now falls under the jurisdiction of local prosecutors’ offices.
The Taipei City Criminal Police Department warned of the increasing use of “drug coffee” and “zombie cartridges” among young people. These substances often contain dangerous combinations of unknown chemicals and drugs, attractively packaged with eye-catching designs, and have been linked to several overdose-related deaths.
In one notable case this April, authorities traced a batch of toxic vape cartridges to a couple based in New Taipei City. Acting on surveillance, officers arrested the duo during a suspected drug transaction. A raid of their residence uncovered a clandestine drug lab where police seized three bags of etomidate powder, seven bottles of toxic oil, nine pre-filled cartridges, 152 packets of cathinone-laced coffee, and over 100 MDMA-containing cantaloupe tablets.
Officers also found equipment used for drug production, including beakers, raw chemicals, and packaging tools—enough to manufacture at least 1,000 drug cartridges. The primary suspect, surnamed Chen, admitted to producing and selling the illicit substances. The case has since been forwarded to the New Taipei District Prosecutors Office for further investigation under drug-related criminal charges.
Authorities reaffirm their commitment to cracking down on illegal drugs and protecting the public, especially young people, from the dangers of emerging narcotics.
