Taiwanese man has work permit revoked, repatriated after being caught with kpod in Singapore

SINGAPORE: A 26-year-old Taiwanese man found in possession of an e-vaporiser pod containing etomidate, commonly known as a Kpod, has had his work permit revoked and was repatriated, the Ministry of Health (MOH) and the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) said on Thursday (18 Dec).

The man was apprehended on 21 October 2025 and is among six foreign nationals identified as etomidate abusers who have either been repatriated or are in the process of being sent home, according to a joint press release by the authorities.

MOH and HSA reminded foreigners residing in Singapore that failure to comply with local laws and regulations could result in work pass revocation and a ban from working in the country.

Etomidate Abusers and Rehabilitation Orders

In the three months since the enhanced anti-vaping framework came into effect, the authorities have caught and fined 2,710 individuals for e-vaporiser-related offences.

Of these, 257 were found to be in possession of e-vaporisers containing etomidate.

Among the 257 etomidate abusers, 162 have been placed on rehabilitation programmes conducted by the Institute of Mental Health (IMH) and social service agencies, while investigations into a further 70 cases are ongoing.

While the majority have complied with their rehabilitation orders, three defaulters have been charged in court for failing to attend their first rehabilitation appointments.

They face potential jail terms of up to two years. One additional defaulter is currently under investigation.

Four other repeat offenders also failed to attend e-vaporiser rehabilitation sessions and are being investigated, bringing the total number of defaulters between 1 September and 30 November to eight.

Smuggling, Trafficking and Online Enforcement

Between September and November 2025, HSA charged 10 individuals for the alleged trafficking of etomidate pods.

During the same period, 46 people were caught smuggling regular e-vaporisers at Singapore’s land, air and sea checkpoints, with more than 26,000 vapes and related components seized.

The authorities also received more than 3,200 reports of e-vaporiser activities through HSA’s online reporting form and hotlines.

HSA removed over 830 online listings, offending websites and Telegram groups, and took action against 15 individuals who posted content of themselves vaping or possessing vapes on social media.

In addition, 72 individuals voluntarily enrolled in programmes to quit etomidate vaping, while 310 signed up for the Health Promotion Board’s I Quit programme during the past three months.

Stiffer Penalties Under Enhanced Anti-Vaping Laws

Under the enhanced anti-vaping framework introduced in September 2025, individuals found possessing, using or purchasing e-vaporisers face higher penalties, with recalcitrant users required to undergo rehabilitation.

Those who fail to complete rehabilitation will be prosecuted. Repeat offenders caught using e-vaporisers for the third time or more may be charged in court and face fines of up to S$2,000 (US$1,550). Etomidate-related offences carry significantly heavier penalties.

First Social Media Prosecution Under Tobacco Control Laws

In a separate case, a Singapore court fined a man S$14,000 for posting images and videos of himself using e-vaporisers on social media, marking the first prosecution of its kind under Singapore’s tobacco control laws, HSA said on 16 December.

The 25-year-old, Krish Khalifa, who operated an online account under the name “Rapperboya”, was fined S$12,000 for posting e-vaporiser-related content and an additional S$2,000 for possessing three e-vaporisers between 2023 and 2024.

He was sentenced on 17 December after investigations confirmed that the e-vaporisers featured in his social media posts belonged to him.