Business · Singapore Bureau
Repeat drug offender jailed for importing etomidate-laced vaping pods
A man with a previous conviction for e-cigarette smuggling has been sentenced to jail after authorities seized over 1,000 pods laced with the prescription anaesthetic etomidate. The contraband was valued at $73,500.
LSN Singapore ·
Ji Saow Hua was handed a custodial sentence after being apprehended with 1,050 etomidate-laced vaping pods in his possession. The seizure represents a significant drug trafficking case involving the misuse of a controlled pharmaceutical substance commonly used in medical settings.
The arrest comes less than a year after Ji was previously fined $4,000 in 2024 for illegally importing 107 e-cigarette devices into Singapore. His repeat offence underscores ongoing enforcement challenges as authorities work to combat the smuggling and distribution of drug-laced vaping products.
Etomidate is a short-acting intravenous anaesthetic typically administered in medical and surgical procedures. Its presence in illicit vaping products poses significant health and safety risks to users, who may be unaware of the substance's potency and potential adverse effects.
The case highlights Singapore's stringent stance on drug-related offences and the importation of controlled substances. Authorities continue to intensify border controls and investigations targeting the supply chains of illicit vaping products entering the city-state.