SINGAPORE: A Kpod peddler filmed by The Straits Times attempting to drive off from a raid in Bishan in July 2025 was sentenced to 16 months and five weeks’ jail on Tuesday (June 30).
Jodan Chin Wei Liang, 28, pleaded guilty to possessing for sale 802 vape pods containing etomidate, and performing a rash act that could have injured Health Sciences Authority (HSA) officers.
He was also given a driving disqualification of 18 months after his release from prison.
The total street value of the vape pods Chin had was more than S$56,000, with each pod worth around $70.
In sentencing him, Deputy Principal District Judge Luke Tan noted that the vaping epidemic in Singapore was alarming.
Chin was not represented in court, while the prosecution team involved prosecutors from the Attorney-General’s Chambers, Immigration and Checkpoints Authority, and HSA.
In July 2025, ST posed as an interested buyer online and contacted four sellers who were offering vapes and etomidate-laced pods, also known as Kpods, on social media platforms.
One seller responded within minutes, saying he could sell two Kpods for $140, including delivery.
After a brief exchange of messages, an agreement was made to meet in Bishan.
According to the facts of the case read out in court, Chin arrived in a grey car at Block 189 Bishan Street 13 on July 10, 2025, at around 4pm, while an HSA officer posing as the buyer approached him.
When the officer identified himself as an enforcement agent, Chin panicked and drove off while five HSA officers were around his car.
One officer near the front passenger door jumped into the vehicle to avoid getting hit, while another officer stepped out of its way. Chin only stopped the car when one of the officers grabbed Chin’s arm and told him to stop.
Chin was detained, and more than 800 Kpods marked for delivery were found in his vehicle.
HSA officers also found multiple folders, each named with different brands of Kpods such as “Zombie” or “USDT”.
The court heard that Chin started selling Kpods from June 2025 to settle debts of around $25,000 he had to an unlicensed moneylender.
Following the moneylender’s suggestion that he be a deliveryman for Kpods to repay his debt, he conducted over 20 deliveries daily for at least six weeks, and settled around $3,000 of his debt.
Separately, Chin made a false statement in trying to apply for a new Singapore passport on July 12 – two days after his initial arrest – as he wanted to travel to Vietnam with his wife and friends.
The raid came after ST launched its anti-vaping campaign, Vaping: The Invisible Crisis, on July 13, 2025, to raise awareness about the issue here.
Chin was caught selling vapes before stiffer penalties were imposed by the Government against vaping on Sept 1, 2025.
Offenders convicted before the amendments for importing, selling or distributing Kpods could be fined up to $10,000 and jailed for up to two years.
Under the harsher penalties since Sept 1, 2025, those convicted of selling or distributing Kpods will face between two and 10 years’ jail and receive between two and five strokes of the cane.
In mitigation, Chin handed the judge a letter, which was not read out in court.
The judge said the letter sets out financial and family circumstances and asked if Chin had anything else to say.
Chin replied: “I hope Your Honour will also take into consideration that I cooperated with the authorities during the investigation process.”
In sentencing, the judge highlighted that Chin was an active commercial distributor who put Kpods directly in the hands of many young users.
He also said Chin’s actions in trying to escape from the HSA officers were abhorrent, as he did not merely attempt to flee, but placed the officers in danger when he sped off.
After sentencing, the judge granted Chin’s request to begin his sentence on July 29 to give him time to settle his appeal with HDB regarding his Build-To-Order flat. - The Straits Times/ANN
