A Singaporean man has been sentenced to three years in jail and five strokes of the cane for smuggling and consuming Kpods, a type of drug-laced e-vaporiser containing the anaesthetic etomidate. The sentence, handed down on October 2, marks the first time a Kpod smuggler has been punished under the country’s recently strengthened drug regulations.
Png Swee Sheng, 39, pleaded guilty to charges of illegal importation and consumption of etomidate, along with a third charge of smuggling two vapes, which was taken into account during sentencing. The case traces back to January 5, when Png received a request from an individual known as Pod, offering payment between SGD 500 and SGD 800 to smuggle Kpods into Singapore. Despite knowing the activity was illegal, Png accepted due to financial need.
On February 6, Png traveled by rental car across the Causeway into Johor Bahru, Malaysia, where he collected over 200 Kpods from a shopping mall. On attempting to re-enter Singapore at Woodlands Checkpoint, officers stopped him for further inspection. In the vehicle’s boot, authorities discovered two packages labeled as laundry detergent containing two vapes and the illicit Kpods. Png was arrested on the spot, and subsequent urine tests revealed the presence of etomidate, confirming that he had consumed the substance prior to returning to Singapore.
Etomidate is an anaesthetic that has been misused in drug-laced vapes, resulting in a wave of public nuisance incidents where users exhibited zombie-like behavior. Originally controlled under the Poisons Act, which limited legal enforcement options against abusers, the substance was temporarily reclassified as a Class C drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act in response to growing concerns.
From May 1, etomidate became regulated as a specified psychoactive substance under the Tobacco and Vapourisers Control Act. This legislative change substantially raised the penalties for offences involving illegal vapes such as Kpods. Authorities have emphasized a strict stance against smuggling and distribution, with those caught facing potential jail terms of up to 20 years and up to 15 strokes of the cane.
The Health Sciences Authority in Singapore reiterated its commitment to combatting the importation and supply of unauthorized vapour products, underscoring that such violations pose significant risks to public health and safety.