16 months’ jail for man who made etomidate-laced pods for vapes in first Kpod conviction case

In Singapore’s first conviction linked to Kpods, a man was sentenced to 16 months’ jail and a fine of $400 on Aug 26 after he produced the etomidate-laced pods for sale to e-vaporiser users.

In December 2024, Mohammed Akil Abdul Rahim, 41, was caught in his Yishun flat with 26.4g of a white powder that contained enough etomidate to produce more than 70 Kpods.

The Singaporean had pleaded guilty on Aug 13 to multiple charges, most of them involving vaping-related products. He also admitted that he had made a false statement to the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA).

On Aug 26, Deputy Principal District Judge Ong Chin Rhu said that deterrence is paramount in offences linked to etomidate.

She stressed that the potentially devastating effects of etomidate abuse are apparent, and the substance had been detected in multiple unnatural death cases, including a fatal traffic accident.

On July 25, the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) said that etomidate had been detected in the blood samples of two people involved in an accident in Punggol Road in May.

As for Akil’s case, the judge said that it had transnational elements and could involve a syndicate.

She also noted that he was facing financial difficulties when he committed his etomidate-related offences.

In earlier proceedings, the court heard Akil had told investigators that before he committed the offences, he went to a Johor shopping mall in October 2024.

He then met a man known only as Joe, who offered him a job of preparing etomidate-laced vape pods for customers in Singapore.

HSA prosecutor Yang Ziliang had said Joe would arrange for items such as bottles of “e-liquid”, empty pod casings and etomidate powder to be sent to Akil’s home via courier.

Akil, who lived with his mother, had to mix the e-liquid with the powder and fill the empty pod casings with the mixture.

The filled pods would then be kept at the flat for upcoming orders.

Joe would share Akil’s mobile number with potential customers, who would contact Akil to order the vape pods.

Akil was paid $10 for every pod prepared and provided to customers.

Court documents stated that Akil agreed to be part of the plan even though he knew vape products were illegal in Singapore.

In the early hours of Dec 11, 2024, he received a WhatsApp message from somebody known only as “Beast” who wanted to order pods.

Akil, who agreed to provide 100 pods to Beast, placed them in a paper bag, which he left outside his home.

Shortly before 12.40am that day, a delivery man picked up the bag and received instructions to take it to Sin Ming Drive, near Bishan Street 22.

The delivery man later went to Yishun North Neighbourhood Police Centre to alert the authorities after he saw that the bag contained vape-related items.

At around 5.30am, HSA officers went to Akil’s home and uncovered items including a bag containing the etomidate powder and syringes.

At around 9am, Akil surrendered his passport to the authorities but was not arrested.

The court heard that he later wanted to visit his girlfriend in Malaysia and, on Jan 20, reported on the ICA website that he had “lost” his passport.

“(He) was subsequently issued with a new Singapore passport... (and used it) to travel overseas on multiple occasions,” said the ICA prosecutor, Assistant Superintendent Boo Zhi Ying.

On June 18, Akil was arrested at Woodlands Checkpoint and referred to the ICA for making the false statement. He has been in remand since then.

Etomidate, which is now regulated under the Poisons Act, will be listed as an illegal drug from Sept 1.

On Aug 24, Health Minister Ong Ye Kung said it will be classified under the Misuse of Drugs Act (MDA) as a Class C drug.

Such drugs refer to substances that have lower potential for harm than Class A and Class B drugs but are still dangerous enough to warrant strict control.

Other drugs classified under this category include hypnotic drug Erimin-5 (nimetazepam).

Once etomidate is reclassified under the MDA, abusers will face harsher penalties, such as a maximum sentence of 10 years’ jail and a $20,000 fine for illegal possession and use.

Those who traffic in Class C drugs can be jailed for up to 10 years and given five strokes of the cane.

This is compared with the maximum penalty of two years’ jail and a $10,000 fine under the Poisons Act for possession, use and trafficking.

Since Aug 21, three other unrelated vaping-linked cases were adjourned after the respective judges asked the prosecution for further submissions for the courts to decide if harsher punishments were warranted as a deterrent to like-minded offenders.

One of the cases involved Orison Toh Chun Kee, 28, who was initially expected to plead guilty on Aug 25.

For Toh’s case, HSA prosecutor Jolene Chia said the prosecution would like to relook its sentencing submissions.

This was after District Judge Wong Li Tein gave instructions to HSA on Aug 21 to do so for both vape- and Kpod-related offences.

The cases that appeared before District Judge Wong on Aug 21 involved Nicole Lorraine Rodrigues, 32, and Tan Wee Siong, 44.

The judge had said: “We need to start relooking at the sentencing submissions for these cases, as they are currently not in line with public sentiment.”

The cases involving Toh, Tan and Rodrigues are pending.

Used in hospitals to induce sedation during medical procedures, etomidate is meant to be injected into the veins under clinical supervision and is never intended to be inhaled.

When vaped, it enters the lungs directly and may trigger spasms, breathing difficulties, seizures and even psychosis.

To report vaping-related offences, call the HSA hotline on 6684-2036 or 6684-2037 from 9am to 9pm daily, including public holidays. Reports can also be made online at 

www.go.gov.sg/reportvape

Source: The Straits Times © SPH Media Limited. Permission required for reproduction.

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