Laughing gas (N2O) is a chemical used in industrial activities. Taking advantage of its hallucinogenic, nervous system stimulating, and strong-feeling properties, many people have pumped this gas into rubber balloons (laughing balloons) for use in entertainment venues.
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| Police discovered and seized dozens of laughing gas cylinders at NNP's facility (Ho Nai Ward, Bien Hoa City). Photo: T.DANH |
This reality has been causing negative impacts on health, social life, and causing insecurity and disorder.
* Discovered a facility specializing in supplying laughing gas to bars and karaoke bars
According to the Drug Crime Investigation Police Department (PC04) of the Provincial Police, in recent times, the situation of young people taking advantage of service businesses: bars, karaoke bars, hotels to use laughing gas has been quite common. From that reality, some subjects have taken advantage of the N2O gas business by extracting it into laughing gas to sell to these establishments.
On June 2, PC04 of the provincial police coordinated with the police of Ho Nai and Tan Bien wards to conduct an inspection and discovered a number of subjects trading in laughing gas in the area, so they organized forces to arrest them. At around 10 p.m. the same day, in Tan Bien Ward, the first working group discovered NH (28 years old, residing in Bien Hoa City), using a motorbike to transport N2O gas cylinders, along with many rubber balloon shells (laughing gas balloons) to deliver to customers in the area.
NHS stated that he was instructed by NNP (19 years old, residing in Ho Nai Ward) to deliver the bottle to a customer in Tan Bien Ward for 1.5 million VND/bottle.
Immediately after that, the second task force inspected NNP's house and discovered 35 N2O gas cylinders (of unknown origin), 700 laughing gas balloon shells, 10 boxes of electronic cigarettes, and many other related items. All related subjects were then taken to the police headquarters for questioning.
Initial investigation determined that NNP had rented the above house to operate a business of N2O gas, laughing gas balloons, and electronic cigarettes from the beginning of 2023 until now.
P. imported these N2O gas cylinders from many different sources at a price of 500,000 VND/cylinder. Each time, this subject usually ordered 30-40 cylinders. P. bought the laughing gas balloon shells for about 100,000 VND/pack (100 pieces) and then resold them to service businesses such as bars, karaoke bars, hotels, and motels in the area.
| According to statistics from PC04 of the Provincial Police, in the first 5 months of 2023, the drug crime investigation police force in the whole province detected and handled 349 cases, 656 drug criminals (an increase of 85 cases, 24 subjects compared to the same period last year). Through investigation, 316 cases, 534 defendants were prosecuted, 22 cases, 109 subjects were administratively sanctioned; 9 subjects were sent to drug rehabilitation. The police agency seized 29 thousand ecstasy pills (more than 12kg), 90g of heroin. |
NNP confessed that he regularly supplied laughing gas cylinders and laughing gas balloon shells to bars, karaoke bars, and motels in Bien Hoa City and neighboring areas to serve customers who inhaled laughing gas. In addition, this subject also provided laughing gas to customers who gathered at motels and hotels to use.
* Warning of harmful effects from using laughing gas
Major Nguyen Thanh Sang, Deputy Head of Team 2, Drug Crime Investigation Police Department of the Provincial Police, said that the use of laughing gas and electronic cigarettes in the province has been very complicated recently. Most of them focus on young people, mainly teenagers. Meanwhile, handling the use of laughing gas is still facing many difficulties. Because N2O gas is not yet on the list of narcotics, the handling of subjects related to this activity is mainly handling goods of unknown origin.
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| Laughing gas balloons used to inflate laughing gas |
Talking about the harmful effects of using N2O gas in laughing balloons, Major Nguyen Thanh Sang said that this is a type of gas that can only be used in industry, not bought, sold, or used for people or medical activities. N2O gas contains precursors that can create hallucinations, stimulate the nervous system, and create strong feelings. Many people have taken advantage of this gas to trade and supply it to bars, karaoke bars, etc.
To do this, the subjects bought N2O gas cylinders and then pumped them into rubber shells to create laughing gas balloons to supply to service businesses to sell to customers when gathering to have fun, sing karaoke... Each laughing gas balloon after being pumped with N2O gas will be sold to customers for 50-200 thousand VND.
Faced with the above situation, the leader of PC04 of the Provincial Police said that the Department of Investigation Police on Drug Crimes ( Ministry of Public Security ) has issued a document directing the police of provinces and cities to coordinate with the Department of Industry and Trade, the Market Management Department, and the Customs Department to advise the Provincial People's Committee to strengthen the management and post-inspection of establishments importing N2O chemicals, ensuring their proper use, and handling cases related to laughing gas according to the law.
In addition, the police force will conduct inspections of conditional business establishments (bars, karaoke bars, hotels, etc.) to promptly detect related violations. Service business establishments and local police will organize signing of commitments not to buy, sell, or store laughing gas and shisha, and take measures to prevent people from bringing laughing gas and shisha from outside into their establishments for use.
Tran Danh
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