HSA Charges Man in Largest Haul of Almost 2,000 Etomidate E-vaporiser Pods Since 1 September 2025
The
Health Sciences Authority (HSA) has charged a 30-year-old man, Muhamad
Khairuddin Bin Abdullah, in court on 22 January 2026 for the alleged
trafficking of almost 2,000 etomidate e-vaporiser pods. This is the largest haul
of etomidate e-vaporiser pods seized in an operation to date by HSA since
etomidate was classified as a Class C controlled drug under the Misuse of Drugs
Act on 1 September 2025.
2 On the night of 20 January 2026, the
accused was detained by the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) while
entering Singapore through Woodlands Checkpoint in a rental car with his 63-year-old
mother and four-month-old niece. ICA officers discovered 1,989 e-vaporiser pods
concealed in two boxes in the car boot. HSA was alerted and conducted a raid at
the accused’s residence on the same day which yielded three regular e-vaporiser
pods. Laboratory testing confirmed that the pods seized at the checkpoint contained
etomidate, and investigations are ongoing.
3 The case has been adjourned to 5 March 2026.
4
HSA takes a serious view
of e-vaporiser and etomidate trafficking offences. Since the enhanced penalties
framework took effect on 1 September 2025, importers, sellers and distributors
of etomidate e-vaporisers now face stiffer penalties. These include 3 to 20
years’ imprisonment and 5 to 15 strokes of the cane for importers, and 2 to 10
years’ imprisonment and 2 to 5 strokes of the cane for sellers and
distributors.
HEALTH
SCIENCES AUTHORITY
SINGAPORE
22
JANUARY 2026
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Consumer, Healthcare professional, Industry member, Tobacco control
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