Street vendors in Bangkok, Thailand have been selling illegal laughing gas-filled balloons, and officials are aggressively trying to stop them.

Street vendors in Bangkok, Thailand have been selling illegal laughing gas-filled balloons, and officials are aggressively trying to stop them.

The area seeing a great deal of the illegal activity is an open-air market in a district popular among tourists.

While taken off of display since the crack down, tourists in the know can order up the dose of nitrous oxide by just asking.

A popular hiding place for the tanks has been beneath the carts, and the sellers can fill a balloon with it in about 15 minutes.

Each balloon sells for nearly 5 dollars and costs the vendor about 60 cents to make.

If they’re caught, the penalty is up to $300 and a 5 years in jail for selling medicine without authorization. The specific charge is selling medicine without a license.

In a span of a couple of weeks, 8 people have been caught peddling them.

The trend started on the beaches and has since made its way to the capital.

Authorities want to stop the fad before it spreads any further.

In excess quantities, nitrous oxide can cause serious side effects including unconsciousness.