“It Will Spread in Tokyo Too” – The Rise of Zombie Tobacco After Massive Seizure

Street Value Exceeds 20 Million Yen

The largest amount of “Zombie Tobacco” ever seized in Tokyo has now been confiscated.

The Tokyo Metropolitan Police announced on December 10 that they arrested Kenji Manaka (59), of unknown occupation, from Hachioji City, Tokyo, on suspicion of violating the Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Act (import). He is suspected of attempting to import the illegal drug etomidate from Thailand.

“When the cardboard box addressed to Manaka at Narita Airport arrived, it was labeled body lotion. Inside were four bottles with labels reading banana oil. However, the contents were approximately 2 kg of liquid etomidate. The estimated street value exceeds 20 million yen, making this the largest amount ever seized in Japan,” said a reporter from a national newspaper’s social affairs desk.

Manaka reportedly told investigators, “I was asked by an acquaintance to receive it, but I intended to refuse delivery.” He is said to have close ties to organized crime, and the Metropolitan Police are investigating whether this was a funding source for anti-social organizations.

Etomidate is a short-acting sedative used overseas as a sedative or anesthesia induction agent in medical settings, but it is unapproved in Japan. There have been cases of adrenal insufficiency caused by the drug, although the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare has made no official comment. It is believed that the lack of approval is due to the potential harmful effects.

Overseas, etomidate is nicknamed “Zombie Tobacco” because excessive intake can cause confusion and convulsions in the body and limbs. Since around autumn 2024, it has spread in Okinawa under the guise of nitrous oxide anesthesia. In May of this year, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare designated it as a controlled substance, making its use, possession, and importation generally prohibited.

Trending Among Young People in Okinawa

Most of the previous arrests occurred in Okinawa, but the issue is spreading to other areas. On November 28, a 28-year-old man was arrested in Tokyo for possession. Additionally, three Chinese men arrested by the Kyushu Regional Bureau of Health and Oita Prefectural Police in August–September had imported etomidate from India and were selling it in the Tokyo metropolitan area. The men lived in Chiba and Saitama and were taking orders via social media and selling face-to-face.

“This arrest falls under the Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Act, which used to be called the Pharmaceutical Affairs Act. Etomidate isn’t exactly a narcotic, nor is it quite like a dangerous drug. It might be easier to understand if you think of it as being treated like thinner, which is regulated under the Poisonous and Deleterious Substances Control Act,” said former drug enforcement officer Ryoji Takahama. He explained that etomidate originally spread in Southeast Asia, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and other regions.

“Initially, it became popular among young people in Okinawa. This is just my personal opinion, but I believe it first spread there because someone connected to an Okinawan anti-social organization, which had ties to a Taiwanese syndicate, brought it in personally.

In some areas of Okinawa, the threshold for smoking is extremely low, so it likely became a fashion-like trend among young people. In November, it was reported that some youths found 100 million yen in an abandoned house in Okinawa and spent the money on motorcycles, accessories, and ‘Zombie Tobacco.’ That shows how much young people desire it.

Local authorities were monitoring etomidate but thought it would remain a trend only in Okinawa. However, some people saw an opportunity to make money and started bringing it to mainland Japan and Tokyo. Once it’s brought in, there are buyers. New drugs have appeared in each era, and etomidate is likely to gradually spread as well,” Takahama said.

The issues surrounding illegal drugs and narcotics like etomidate, as well as overdoses of over-the-counter drugs, are serious among young people. While easier access through social media compared to the past contributes to this problem, there may also be social factors that leave drugs as the only escape for some.

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