Two Chinese nationals have been arrested for allegedly using a luxury pool villa in Chon Buri as a base to produce zombie pods for illegal vape products.
The arrests took place on Tuesday in tambon Huai Yai Bang Lamung district after residents reported suspicious activity involving two Chinese men allegedly mixing chemicals inside the rented property.
Chon Buri governor Narit Niramaiwong, provincial police chief Pol Maj Gen Phongphan Wongmanithet and police officers led the raid under a search warrant issued by the Pattaya Provincial Court. Authorities found large amounts of chemicals stored in plastic containers, buckets and sacks inside the two-storey villa.
The upper floor had been converted into a laboratory containing glass tubes and three chemical-processing machines still operating during the raid.
The machines were producing etomidate, commonly known as the "zombie drug", a sedative increasingly linked to drug-laced vape pods popular among tourists at nightlife entertainment venues.
Two Chinese nationals, identified as Jia Jing Zhuang, 47, and Teng Ji, 24, were arrested at the scene.
Both allegedly admitted they were hired to guard the property and oversee the chemical mixing equipment.
They face charges of working illegally in Thailand and were taken into custody for further questioning.
Investigators later expanded the operation to a warehouse in tambon Bang Lamung, about 20 kilometres away. Officers discovered more chemical containers, weighing equipment and laboratory tools believed to be intended for drug production.
Mr Narit said the raid followed an earlier operation two months ago involving another rented house in tambon Nong Pla Lai where authorities seized suspected psychotropic chemicals.
He urged local residents and community leaders to help monitor suspicious activity, particularly groups renting houses for illegal operations involving narcotics and chemicals.
Further investigations were under way to identify the sources of the chemicals and the masterminds.
