SINGAPORE: A man driving from Malaysia to Singapore was caught at the Woodlands Checkpoint with over 3,000 etomidate-laced vape pods, valued at more than S$205,000.
Neo Yeow Siang also had in his possession more than 5,000 heatsticks – tobacco products that are heated and not burned.
The heatsticks had a total street value of $25,000.
On Feb 25, the 45-year-old Singaporean was sentenced to a year and eight months’ jail, and a fine of $4,000.
He had pleaded guilty to one count each of importing the heatsticks and being in possession of the etomidate-laced vape pods.
Health Sciences Authority (HSA) prosecutor Nur Afiqah told the court that etomidate is a hypnotic that has only been approved as an intravenous injection for the induction of general anaesthesia.
It is not approved for use via inhalation.
The prosecutor added: “Based on case reports of patients using etomidate-infused e-cigarettes, etomidate inhalation can induce psychiatric symptoms, such as depressed mood, mood swings, and increased impulsivity, leading to suicide attempts and aggression.”
Investigations revealed that in February 2024, Neo’s vehicle needed repairs, and he was introduced to one “Nick” who owned a workshop called NK Motorsports in Johor Bahru.
Nick then offered him a job to smuggle vape pods into Singapore.
Neo accepted the offer as he needed money to clear his debts, which included repair costs owed to Nick.
He was promised between RM900 (S$294) and RM1,500 for each completed delivery.
Neo told investigators that he made 10 deliveries for Nick between September 2024 and March 2025.
As part of the operation, Nick would notify him via WhatsApp when a job was available.
Neo would then drive to NK Motorsports and park his vehicle there so that the prohibited items could be loaded into it.
After that, Neo would import the items into Singapore and distribute them according to Nick’s instructions.
He later received payments either in cash or via fund transfers
In total, the accused received around RM16,900 through a combination of repair cost offsets and transfers.
As for the heatsticks, Neo told investigators that he had collected them on behalf of his own friend known only as “Wilson”, from one “Zhen Yu” who operated a shop at KSL City Mall in Johor Bahru.
Neo admitted that he had collected the heatsticks on Wilson’s behalf on three to four occasions.
Neo was driving a Singapore-registered vehicle from Malaysia to Singapore at around 4am on March 7, 2025 when Immigration and Checkpoints Authority officers stopped it for a search.
They found the vape pods and heatsticks, and the matter was referred to the HSA.
After a laboratory analysis, the pods were found to contain etomidate.
Neo was then charged in court in August 2025.
Etomidate has been listed under the Misuse of Drugs Act (MDA) as a Class C drug since Sept 1, 2025, amid a surge in reports of young people using etomidate-laced vapes, also known as Kpods.
Drugs under the classification have lower potential for harm than Class A and Class B drugs but are still deemed dangerous enough to warrant strict control.
Other drugs classified under this category include the hypnotic drug Erimin-5 (nimetazepam).
The temporary provisions, which allow the authorities to introduce tougher penalties to deal with those who abuse and traffic etomidate, are slated to expire on Feb 28, 2026.
On Feb 4, Coordinating Minister for National Security K. Shanmugam said that etomidate will remain a Class C drug under the MDA as the Ministry of Health drafts amendments to current laws.
A Bill will be tabled in Parliament within the first half of 2026, he added in a written parliamentary reply.
When contacted by The Straits Times about the legislative changes, HSA made clear that the tough anti-vape stance will remain.
The agency said it regularly reviews the sentencing frameworks, “to ensure they remain effective as deterrents and keep pace with evolving public health challenges posed by vaping”.
It noted that for etomidate-laced vapes, current laws under the MDA provide for sentences of three to 20 years’ imprisonment and five to 15 strokes of the cane for importers, and two to 10 years’ imprisonment and two to five strokes of the cane for sellers and distributors. - The Straits Times/ANN
