A Chinese man tourist arrested for selling vape juice mixed with ketamine.

Yu Shizhone, 41, was detained in front of a pharmacy in Chonburi, Thailand, at 8 pm on August 21.

Banglamung Police Station launched the operation after learning online about pod k, a mixture of vape juice and ketamine that Yu sold to Chinese tourists and Thai residents.

They contacted him to set up a sting operation, requesting to purchase 200 pods for 200,000 baht, or 1,000 baht each.

Police Colonel Sarawut Nuchanart, superintendent of Banglamung district station, led the operation and arranged to meet at a housing estate.

Yu arrived at the designated time in his white Toyota Yaris sedan but noticed the officers and tried to escape.

Officers chased him and managed to catch him in front of the pharmacy, about one kilometre from the meeting spot.

Inside Yu's car, officers discovered 24 pod k hidden under the driver's seat along with one used pod.

A search of his house uncovered a 9mm SIG Sauer pistol with 25 bullets, 28 methamphetamine pills, and large drug consumption equipment for crystal meth and ketamine.

Officers brought him and all the seized items back to the station.

Sarawut said: ‘The suspect admitted that he had stayed in Thailand for over eight months and sold electronic cigarettes mixed with ketamine (pod k) to Chinese and Thai customers for a long time.

‘Regarding the seized methamphetamine pills, he claimed they belonged to his Chinese friend who had left them with him, while the firearm had been pawned by a Thai person, but we did not believe his statement.

‘Moreover, we found that he had narcotics in his system.

‘We are preparing to file serious charges against him, including those under the Narcotics Act for possession and use, the Customs Act concerning electronic cigarettes, and the Firearms, Ammunition, Explosives, Fireworks and Imitation of Firearm Act, for further legal action.'

Under Thai law, Ketamine is classed as a 'Schedule 2' drug. Offenders face up to five years in prison and a fine of up to 100,000 Baht for possession. While those convicted of dealing can be jailed for up to 20 years, depending on the amount they were caught, the scale of the operation and their co-operation with officials.