A former idol group member is currently under investigation for attempting to purchase a medical grade anesthetic called Etomidate.
According to an exclusive report from SBS News 8, a former idol member was recently questioned by police for hoarding Etomidate, saying that it has been getting more and more difficult to obtain propofol recently, so more and more people are trying to find other equivalents to acheive their high. SBS was investigating a dealer who sold both Etomidate and marijuana, and found a connection involving the former idol.
Their report also stated that the unnamed idol was summoned by police as a witness on charges of hoarding the drug, but the idol in question strongly denied the charges.
I have never purchased or used the drug. I just wanted to check if it was available to purchase.
— Former Idol Group Member “A”
As a part of the investigation, the former idol group member received a drug test, and the result was negative. The members’ agency also commented on his investigation, but contradicted his statements that he never used or purchased it.
“A” was prescribed and administered Etomidate for treatment purposes, but never purchased it illegally.
— “A’s” agency
Etomidate is a sleeping anesthetic drug that is being called “the 2nd propofol” by users who administer it for illicit purposes. It is a drug designed for use only by professionals, and can cause respiratory failure if overdosed on. However, it has yet to be designated as a narcotic as its specific addictive and hallucinogenic properties have yet to be proven.
Earlier this year on March 31, Wheesung was discovered passed out in a build in Seoul’s Songpa district after administering Etomidate. Shortly after that, he was discovered again, passed out, in Seoul’s Gwangjin district, once again after administering Etomidate. Currently if illegal transactions involving the drug are detected, only the seller will be punished as a violation of the Pharmaceutical Affairs Law. This is why Wheesung avoided punishment after purchasing 26 vials of Edomidate, while the seller was sentenced to one year in prison.
