Man jailed, caned for importing 208 etomidate vape pods in first such conviction under the Misuse of Drugs Act

Png Swee Sheng was caught at Woodlands Checkpoint with 210 vape pods and two vapes in his vehicle.

File photo of the State Courts in Singapore.

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SINGAPORE: A man was sentenced to three years’ jail and five strokes of the cane on Friday (Oct 2) for importing and consuming etomidate vape pods, making him the first etomidate importer to be convicted and sentenced under Singapore's Misuse of Drugs Act.

Png Swee Sheng was driving from Malaysia into Singapore on Feb 6 when Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) officers searched his vehicle.

Two packages labelled as laundry detergent powder that contained two vaporisers and 210 vaporiser pods were found in the boot of his rental car. Laboratory tests by the Health Sciences Authority later confirmed that 208 of the seized pods contained etomidate.

Investigations revealed that about a month earlier, Png had received a Telegram message from an acquaintance known as "Pod", who offered him a job delivering Kpods into Singapore.

The 39-year-old Singaporean man was promised between S$500 (US$390) and S$800 for the delivery. He agreed to the arrangement because he needed money, despite knowing that Kpods were illegal in Singapore, court documents said.

At about 4am on Feb 6, Png drove to R&F Mall in Johor Bahru on "Pod's" instructions to collect the items. He was told that further details about the delivery would be provided after he entered Singapore.

However, he was arrested upon arrival at Woodlands Checkpoint and subsequently charged by HSA for the import of etomidate vaporiser pods on Feb 10, the agency said in a press release.

Laboratory tests also found that Png had consumed etomidate. He admitted to doing so at the mall before entering Singapore.

Etomidate - an anaesthetic agent that has been found in Kpod vapes - was listed as Class C controlled drug in the Misuse of Drugs Act in September 2025 to deal with the growing issue of etomidate abuse.

It was later listed as a specified psychoactive substance under the Tobacco and Vaporisers Control Act under laws passed in March this year, significantly raising the maximum penalties for possessing, using, importing and selling vapes in Singapore.

After the new laws took effect on May 1, etomidate was delisted from the Misuse of Drugs Act.

Those convicted of importing etomidate face between three and 20 years' jail and five to 15 strokes of the cane.

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Png Swee Sheng在兀兰关卡被抓获，车内搜出210个电子烟烟弹和两支电子烟。

新加坡国家法院的资料照片。

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新加坡：一名男子因进口和使用依托咪酯电子烟烟弹，于周五（10月2日）被判处三年监禁和五下鞭刑，成为新加坡首位因违反《滥用毒品法》而被定罪和判刑的依托咪酯进口商。

2月6日，彭瑞生驾车从马来西亚进入新加坡时，移民与关卡局（ICA）官员搜查了他的车辆。

在他的租车后备箱里发现了两包标明为洗衣粉的包装，里面装有两台雾化器和210个雾化器胶囊。卫生科学局的实验室检测随后证实，查获的胶囊中有208个含有依托咪酯。

调查显示，大约一个月前，Png 收到了一位名叫“Pod”的熟人的 Telegram 消息，对方提供给他一份向新加坡运送 Kpods 的工作。

法庭文件显示，这名39岁的新加坡男子被承诺因送货获得500至800新元（约合390至800美元）的报酬。尽管他明知Kpods在新加坡属于非法产品，但由于急需用钱，他还是同意了这项安排。

2月6日凌晨4点左右，Png按照“Pod”的指示驱车前往新山富力广场取货。他被告知，入境新加坡后会收到关于送货的更多细节。

然而，新加坡卫生科学局在一份新闻稿中表示，他于 2 月 10 日抵达兀兰关卡后被捕，并因进口依托咪酯电子烟烟弹而被该局起诉。

实验室检测结果还显示，彭某服用了依托咪酯。他承认在进入新加坡前于商场内服用了该药物。

依托咪酯是一种麻醉剂，曾在 Kpod 电子烟中被发现。为了应对依托咪酯滥用问题日益严重，英国于 2025 年 9 月将依托咪酯列为《滥用药物法》中的 C 类管制药物。

后来，根据今年 3 月通过的《烟草和雾化器管制法》，电子烟被列为特定精神活性物质，大幅提高了在新加坡持有、使用、进口和销售电子烟的最高处罚。

新法于 5 月 1 日生效后，依托咪酯从《滥用药物法》中移除。

那些被判犯有进口依托咪酯罪的人将面临 3 至 20 年监禁和 5 至 15 下鞭刑。

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