Hangzhou man jailed for AI-made sedative plot
AM730 · 2 SOURCES1 day ago2 MIN
Summary
A court in Gongshu District, Hangzhou, sentenced a man surnamed Sun to four months’ detention and a 1,000 yuan fine after finding that he had manufactured a solution containing gamma-hydroxybutyric acid, or GHB, at home. According to the reports, Sun suspected his girlfriend of cheating and said he wanted to make her fall asleep so he could look through her phone. He used AI tools to search for formulas and operating steps, then bought laboratory equipment and chemical materials online before setting up a home lab. Police later seized 56.62 grams of the solution, along with equipment and raw materials, and the court ordered the items confiscated.
Key Points
- Sun met the woman, identified as Xiao Li, through a matchmaking website in early 2023, and the pair later began dating amid growing financial and relationship tensions
- From 2024 to June 2025, he used AI searches for so-called “obedience water” recipes and procedures, then purchased professional lab gear and chemicals online
- Reports said he set up a laboratory at home, including equipment such as a rotary evaporator and centrifuge, and produced 56.62 grams of GHB-containing liquid.
- Police found leads during checks in January 2026, arrested him, and discovered chemical apparatus, unidentified liquids and crystals scattered in his residence.
- Judicial testing confirmed the seized liquids contained GHB, a tightly controlled Class I psychotropic substance, and prosecutors pursued a drug-manufacturing charge.
Why It Matters
For Hong Kong readers, the case is a reminder that AI tools can lower the barrier to finding harmful technical instructions, even when the underlying substance remains tightly controlled by law. It also underlines that using drugs to control another person, even without carrying out the intended act, can still lead to criminal liability once illegal manufacture is established.