The elaborate operation spanned five Chinese cities and multiple Southeast Asian countries.
Cover image via Follow us on Instagram, TikTok, and WhatsApp for the latest stories and breaking news.
Police in eastern China have dismantled a sophisticated drug-trafficking ring allegedly led by a chemistry master's graduate and a retired professor
The real-life Walter White equivalent was a suspect surnamed Huang, who partnered with a retired local college professor surnamed Wu to manufacture etomidate, a controlled narcotic often found in "zombie vapes".
According to South China Morning Post, the elaborate operation spanned five Chinese cities and multiple Southeast Asian countries.
According to investigators, Huang purchased large quantities of precursor chemicals while briefly working at a pharmaceutical technology company in Shandong province in 2024.
Wu reportedly refined the manufacturing process and secured laboratory spaces under the guise of developing new medicines
To evade domestic laws, the duo allegedly transported the chemicals to Vietnam, Thailand, and Cambodia, where a logistics owner surnamed Wang reportedly facilitated the final production.
A coordinated international raid brought the multi-million-ringgit operation to an end.
In March and April, authorities dismantled seven bases across Southeast Asia, arresting 71 individuals and seizing 73kg of the narcotic, along with five tonnes of active ingredients.
Huang reportedly made over five million yuan (RM3 million) in illegal profits in just over a year before the operation was shut down
Reacting to the bizarre case, Chinese Internet users drew immediate parallels to the popular American crime drama Breaking Bad.
Netizens were quick to point out the absurdity of highly educated professionals turning to illicit activities.
"Zibo Heisenberg," one netizen joked online, referring to the infamous television alias.
The case remains under investigation, and all suspects are currently awaiting trial.
FOLLOW SAYS