OSAKA (TR) – Narcotics agents in Osaka City have arrested a 31-year-old man following a raid on a drug trafficking base that netted 8.3 kilograms of illicit narcotics, including a substance known on the street as “zombie tobacco,” authorities announced, reports the Asahi Shimbun (Aug. 7).
The unemployed resident of Tennoji Ward is accused of violating the Stimulants Control Law for the purpose of profit. His arrest stems from an April 8 raid on a former restaurant in Osaka City where he was living, which allegedly served as a distribution hub for a drug ring. Authorities have not disclosed whether he admits to the allegations.
During the bust, the Kinki Regional Health and Welfare Bureau’s Narcotics Control Department seized nine different types of drugs. The massive haul included approximately 255 grams of kakuseizai (methamphetamine), 394 grams of marijuana and 46 grams of etomidate — a strictly regulated substance also known as “zombie tobacco.”
In a bizarre twist, some of the confiscated stimulant pills were dyed red and purple and pressed into shapes resembling the logos of a major pizza chain and a foreign luxury clothing brand. Laboratory analysis revealed that some of these designer tablets contained a dangerous cocktail of both stimulants and the synthetic drug MDMA.
Investigators tracked down the syndicate through cyber patrols, monitoring suspected drug deals conducted on highly anonymous social media messaging apps. After tracing the digital trail to the real world, agents staked out the former restaurant and observed multiple suspicious individuals entering and exiting the premises.
Authorities who later questioned customers of the syndicate noted a disturbing level of apathy among buyers. According to investigators, some users admitted they purchased the branded pills without giving any thought to what chemical ingredients they were actually consuming.
