Police in Thailand have arrested three Chinese nationals after uncovering a luxury house in Pattaya, Chonburi, allegedly being used to produce ketamine-laced e-cigarettes known locally as “Pod K”.
Officers from the Economic Crime Suppression Division (ECD) and Chonburi Provincial Police raided the property in Bang Lamung district at around 4.30pm on May 11, following intelligence reports that a foreign group was manufacturing illegal vape products in the area.
The suspects, whose identities have not been released, were detained inside a heavily fortified two-storey residence, which was surrounded by a two-metre concrete wall and topped with an electric fence.
Inside the house, police discovered the second floor had been converted into multiple makeshift laboratory rooms. Authorities seized ketamine-infused vape liquids, e-cigarettes, chemical containers, and various equipment believed to be used in production.
Investigators said nearby residents were unaware of the illegal operation, believing the property was abandoned as no activity or lighting had been observed for a long period. Some locals even assumed the raid was linked to a murder case due to the scale of the police response.
Reports also indicated that the setup bore similarities to equipment and chemical storage methods found in a previous raid in the Nong Pla Lai area earlier in February, raising suspicions of a possible link between the cases.
Authorities are now investigating whether both incidents are connected to the same criminal network involved in producing and distributing illegal vape products.
Similar cases involving foreign nationals have been reported in Thailand in recent months, including arrests in Pattaya and Bangkok linked to the production and sale of ketamine-laced e-cigarettes, with thousands of units seized in earlier operations.
