SINGAPORE: A man who manufactured illicit e-vaporiser pods containing etomidate, or Kpods, at home pleaded guilty on Wednesday (Aug 13).
Mohammed Akil Abdul Rahim, 41, was caught after a deliveryman who had collected a package from outside his Yishun unit on Dec 11, 2024, found vape pods in the parcel. The deliveryman went straight to the police and handed the items over.
The authorities searched the flat at Block 296B Yishun Street 22 later that day and found hundreds of similar paraphernalia.
These included 569 empty pod casings, 1,485 pod covers, 100 loose vape pods and disposable vapes. Enough etomidate powder to fill another 72 vape pods was found in his home.
Mohammed Akil’s case is the first prosecution for e-vaporisers containing etomidate before the courts, a Health Sciences Authority (HSA) prosecutor said.
Etomidate is a fast-acting anaesthetic used in medical procedures. It is listed as a poison, and its sale is regulated. Health Minister Ong Ye Kung said last month that Singapore is working to list etomidate as a Class C drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act.
Adverse effects of etomidate include nausea and vomiting, uncontrollable movement or spasm of muscles, changes to breathing and blood pressure, and seizures and psychosis that can endanger health.
HSA detected 28 cases involving etomidate this year, as of Jun 30.
Mohammed Akil on Wednesday pleaded guilty to one count of possessing for sale 100 loose e-vaporiser pods, one count of possessing for sale 569 empty pod casings, 534 pieces of pod components, and 1,485 pod covers, as well as one count of possessing for sale 26.4g of white powder which contained etomidate.
Another four counts of a similar nature will be taken into consideration when he is sentenced.
He also pleaded guilty to one count of making a false statement to the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority in an application for a new passport.
This was after his passport had been impounded by the authorities pending investigations against him.
Mohammad Akil lied to obtain a new passport to visit his girlfriend in Johor Bahru, the court heard.
