First Kpod smuggler jailed 3 years and caned, after being caught with over 200 pods

Published Oct 05, 2026, 03:15 PM

Updated Oct 05, 2026, 03:15 PM

Png Swee Sheng was sentenced to three years' jail and five strokes of the cane for smuggling over 200 Kpods and consuming etomidate, an anaesthetic used in e-vapourisers.

Etomidate was temporarily classified as a Class C drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act in September 2025 to combat its abuse, previously regulated under the Poisons Act.

The Health Sciences Authority warns that illegal Kpod importers face up to 20 years in jail and 15 strokes of the cane.

SINGAPORE – The first Kpod smuggler to be sentenced in Singapore was given three years’ jail and five strokes of the cane on Oct 2.

Png Swee Sheng, 39, pleaded guilty to illegally importing and consuming etomidate, an anaesthetic that has been abused in drug-laced e-vaporisers known as Kpods.

A third charge for smuggling in two vapes was taken into consideration for sentencing.

On Jan 5, Png received a message from a person known as Pod, offering him a job to smuggle Kpods into Singapore for between $500 and $800.

Png knew this was illegal, but agreed to do it as he needed money.

On Feb 6, he drove a rental car across the Causeway and collected the Kpods from a mall in Johor Bahru.

When he tried to return to Singapore, he was stopped at Woodlands Checkpoint and referred for further checks.

In the boot of the car, officers found two packages labelled as laundry detergent powder that contained the two vapes and over 200 Kpods.

Png was arrested and his urine sample later tested positive for etomidate, which he consumed before making his way back to Singapore.

At the time, etomidate was temporarily listed under the Misuse of Drugs Act as a Class C drug, allowing the authorities to take firmer action against smugglers, traffickers and abusers.

This was to deal with a scourge that saw many abusers behaving like “zombies” in public.

As an anaesthetic, etomidate was previously regulated under the Poisons Act , limiting what action the authorities could take against those who abused the substance.

Since May 1, it has been regulated as a specified psychoactive substance under the Tobacco and Vaporisers Control Act , which has significantly increased penalties for vape offences.

The Health Sciences Authority said it takes a serious view of the import and supply of illegal vapes, particularly Kpods.

Those caught smuggling Kpods can be jailed for up to 20 years and given 15 strokes of the cane.

David Sun is The Straits Times’ crime correspondent. He has a background in criminology and is a licensed private investigator.

Health Sciences Authority

发布于 2026 年 10 月 5 日下午 3:15

更新于2026年10月5日下午3:15

彭瑞生因走私 200 多个电子烟烟弹和服用电子烟中使用的麻醉剂依托咪酯而被判处三年监禁和五下鞭刑。

为打击滥用依托咪酯，该药物于 2025 年 9 月根据《药物滥用法》暂时归类为 C 类药物，此前该药物受《毒物法》管制。

卫生科学局警告，非法进口Kpod的人将面临最高20年监禁和15下鞭刑。

新加坡——10月2日，新加坡首位被判刑的Kpod走私犯被判处三年监禁和五下鞭刑。

39 岁的彭瑞生承认非法进口和使用依托咪酯，这是一种麻醉剂，曾被滥用于掺有毒品的电子烟（Kpods）中。

第三项指控，即走私两支电子烟，在量刑时被考虑在内。

1月5日，Png收到一个自称Pod的人发来的信息，对方提供给他一份工作，让他走私Kpods到新加坡，报酬在500到800美元之间。

Png明知这是违法的，但因为需要钱，所以还是答应了。

2月6日，他驾驶一辆租来的汽车穿过柔佛新山的堤道，从一家商场取回了Kpods。

当他试图返回新加坡时，在兀兰关卡被拦下并被转交进行进一步检查。

在汽车后备箱里，警员发现了两个标有“洗衣粉”字样的包裹，里面装着两支电子烟和 200 多个 Kpods 烟弹。

Png被捕后，他的尿样被检测出含有依托咪酯，他在返回新加坡之前服用了这种药物。

当时，依托咪酯被暂时列入《滥用药物法》的 C 类药物清单，这使得当局可以对走私者、贩运者和滥用者采取更严厉的措施。

这是为了应对一种祸害，即许多施虐者在公共场合表现得像“僵尸”一样。

作为一种麻醉剂，依托咪酯以前受《毒物法》管制，限制了当局对滥用该物质的人可以采取的行动。

自 5 月 1 日起，电子烟已被列入《烟草和雾化器管制法》规定的特定精神活性物质管制范围，该法大幅提高了对电子烟违法行为的处罚力度。

卫生科学局表示，他们严肃对待非法电子烟（尤其是Kpods）的进口和供应问题。

走私 Kpods 的人最高可被判处 20 年监禁和 15 下鞭刑。

大卫·孙是《海峡时报》的犯罪记者。他拥有犯罪学背景，并且是一名持证私人侦探。

健康科学管理局