E-Paper
China’s ‘Breaking Bad’: Retired chemistry professor held in ₹7 crore drug bust
Police in China have dismantled a drug-trafficking network involving a retired chemistry professor and a man with a master's degree in chemistry.
Prefer HTon Google
Police in China have dismantled a drug-trafficking network involving a retired chemistry professor and a man with a master's degree in chemistry. Their gang is accused of producing chemicals used to manufacture etomidate, a controlled narcotic that has been misused in e-cigarettes known as “zombie vapes”.
According to a report in the South China Morning Post, the operation spanned China, Cambodia, Vietnam and Thailand. Chinese police arrested 71 people and seized 73kg of etomidate, five tonnes of active ingredients and laboratory equipment, according to state broadcaster China Central Television (CCTV).
The case has drawn widespread attention in China, where social media users have dubbed it “China's Breaking Bad”, comparing the operation to the plot of the hit American crime drama Breaking Bad.
How the drug-trafficking network operated
The investigation began in 2024, when police conducting a routine inspection of a pharmaceutical technology company in Shandong province noticed that it had purchased unusually large quantities of six chemicals used as key ingredients in etomidate.
Police traced the purchases to a man surnamed Huang, who had a master's degree in chemistry and had spent years selling e-cigarettes in Shenzhen. Huang worked at the company for just three months before quitting.
Investigators suspected that he had bought the chemicals to produce etomidate. They found that Huang travelled frequently between Zibo, a city in Shandong, and Shenzhen, where he spent several days at a time with Wu, a retired chemistry professor from a local college.
(Also read: NCR’s Walter White aka Heisenberg: Police bust meth lab operated by 9 foreigners in Greater Noida)
Police later identified Wu as the key figure behind the operation. According to investigators, he designed and refined the manufacturing process and used his connections to secure laboratory space in factories across five Chinese cities. The facilities were ostensibly being used to develop new medicines.
The group allegedly produced only precursor chemicals in China before transporting them to Vietnam, Thailand and Cambodia, where they were converted into the finished drug. According to Shandong police, this arrangement was intended to reduce the gang's exposure to legal risks in China.
A third member, surnamed Wang, also played a key role. Wang, an e-cigarette seller and owner of an international logistics business, allegedly arranged for the chemicals to be transported in small quantities and for manufacturing equipment to be moved between locations.
Investigators said the group used its technical expertise to improve the production process and exploit regulatory loopholes.
Nearly two years of investigation
Chinese police said they needed to dismantle the entire cross-border network at once to secure enough evidence to prosecute its members. Finding only precursor chemicals in China would not have been sufficient to establish a crime or make arrests, according to investigators.
It took nearly two years to gather evidence and coordinate with law enforcement agencies in Vietnam and Thailand.
(Also read: It's ‘Breaking Bad’ in Rajasthan: Two science teachers held for making drugs)
In March and April, police dismantled seven bases operated by the network across Cambodia, Vietnam and Thailand. The operation resulted in the arrest of 71 people and the seizure of 73kg of etomidate, five tonnes of active ingredients and multiple pieces of laboratory equipment, CCTV reported.
Huang allegedly earned five million yuan (about US$750,000 or INR 7 crore) from the illegal operation.
The case remains under investigation, and the suspects are awaiting trial.
What is etomidate?
Etomidate is a drug that has been misused in e-cigarettes commonly known as “zombie vapes”. High-dose, long-term use can be fatal.
China placed etomidate under controlled-substance regulations in 2023.
Under China's Criminal Law, people who sell, transport or manufacture 50 grams or more of heroin can face at least 15 years in prison, life imprisonment or the death penalty, along with confiscation of their property.
In previous court cases, judges have calculated sentences by treating each gram of etomidate as equivalent to 0.4 grams of heroin.
Why the case is being compared to Breaking Bad
The investigation has drawn comparisons with Breaking Bad, the American crime drama that aired from 2008 to 2013. The series follows Walter White, a chemistry teacher who turns to manufacturing drugs, with a former student becoming his partner in the operation.
The show's five seasons have each scored above 9 out of 10 on China's best-known ratings website, reflecting its popularity among Chinese viewers.
Online reactions to the Chinese case have included references to the show's characters and plot.
“Zibo Heisenberg,” one netizen joked, referring to the alias used by Walter White in Breaking Bad.
“Making drugs must be easy for chemistry experts, but most wouldn’t do it because there are more important things than profits,” another commented.
