A 41-year-old Yishun resident has admitted in court to producing and selling e-vapouriser pods laced with etomidate, a potent anaesthetic classified as a poison in Singapore. The case marks the first prosecution here involving e-vapourisers containing the substance.
Mohammed Akil Abdul Rahim was arrested on 11 December 2024, after a deliveryman who had collected a package from outside his flat at Block 296B Yishun Street 22 discovered vape pods inside. Instead of delivering the package, the courier handed it over to the police, reported CNA.
A raid on Akil’s home the same day uncovered a large-scale illicit vaping operation. Officers seized 569 empty pod casings, 1,485 pod covers, 100 loose vape pods, and disposable vapes. They also found 26.4g of white powder containing etomidate — enough to produce another 72 pods.
Hazards of Etomidate and Rising Cases
Etomidate is typically used in medical settings as a fast-acting anaesthetic but is not approved for recreational use. It can cause serious side effects including nausea, muscle spasms, altered breathing and blood pressure, as well as seizures and psychosis. The Health Sciences Authority (HSA) reported 28 cases involving etomidate in the first half of 2025 alone.
Health Minister Ong Ye Kung has announced plans to classify etomidate as a Class C controlled drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act, which would impose even stricter penalties for possession or trafficking.
How the Operation Worked
Court documents revealed that Akil met a man known only as “Joe” in Johor Bahru in October 2024. Joe allegedly offered him a job preparing and selling vape pods. Akil was supplied with e-liquids, etomidate powder, and pod components, and he used a syringe to inject the mixture into pods. Joe would then pass Akil’s number to buyers, who placed orders directly with him.
On the day of his arrest, Akil had already completed his second 100-pod order, leaving the bagged goods outside his flat for collection.
Akil also admitted to lying to the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority in a passport application. His original passport had been impounded during investigations, but he falsely claimed it was lost so he could obtain a new one to visit his girlfriend in Johor Bahru.
His sentencing is scheduled for 26 August. For selling a poison without a licence, he faces up to two years in jail, a fine of up to S$10,000, or both.