A total of 32 people were arrested in connection with the distribution of etomidate, an anesthetic known as the "second propofol," which was disguised as e-cigarettes and sold on the black market. The National Police Agency announced on the 13th that it had cracked a case involving the sale of etomidate, a controlled substance used as an anesthetic, through an online community. The investigation began in June of last year, after police received a tip that etomidate was being sold on an online community. The police found that a total of 1,600 bottles of etomidate, worth 800 million won, had been sold through an online community and a total of 32 people were arrested, including those who manufactured and sold the substance. The police also seized 3,000 bottles of etomidate, worth 1.5 billion won, which were being stored for sale. Etomidate is a controlled substance that is used as an anesthetic and is known to have similar effects to propofol, which has been at the center of a recent medical malpractice case. The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety has designated etomidate as a controlled substance, and its use without a doctor's prescription is prohibited. The police said that the suspects manufactured etomidate in a factory in China and smuggled it into the country, where it was sold through an online community. The police also said that some of the suspects had used the etomidate for personal use, while others had sold it to others. The police are continuing to investigate the case and are working to identify additional suspects. The National Police Agency said that it will continue to crack down on the distribution of controlled substances, and that it will work to prevent the misuse of such substances.
We haven't written up this one. Hankyoreh has the full story — the link below goes straight to it.
