Three Persons Charged for Alleged Trafficking of Etomidate E-vaporiser Pods

The Health Sciences Authority (HSA) has charged three persons, Vernette Heng Cui Teng, Amir Shah s/o Anwar Shah and a 17-year-old female in court on 4 October 2025 for the alleged trafficking of etomidate e-vaporiser pods.

2     Following HSA’s investigation on a suspected male etomidate abuser on 2 October 2025, HSA officers tracked down two of his alleged suppliers - 23-year-old female Vernette Heng Cui Teng and the 17-year-old female. 64 and 16 e-vaporisers and related components suspected to contain etomidate were seized from Vernette Heng Cui Teng’s and the 17-year-old female’s residences respectively.

3     Further investigations led HSA officers to 27-year-old male, Amir Shah s/o Anwar Shah, for allegedly supplying etomidate pods to the 17-year-old female and another female etomidate abuser via Telegram.  Four e-vaporisers and related components suspected to contain etomidate were seized from his residence. 

4     The seized pods are being tested for etomidate and investigations are ongoing. 

5     The two etomidate abusers were fined on the spot and will be required to attend rehabilitation if their e-vaporisers contained etomidate. 

6     The case for the 17-year-old female was adjourned to 13 October 2025 and the cases for Vernette Heng Cui Teng and Amir Shah s/o Anwar Shah were adjourned to 24 October 2025.

7     HSA takes a serious view of such offences. Importers, sellers and distributors of etomidate e-vaporisers will also face much stiffer penalties. This includes 3 to 20 years’ imprisonment and 5 to 15 strokes of the cane for imports, and 2 to 10 years’ imprisonment and 2 to 5 strokes of the cane for sellers and distributors.