Duo accused of importing over 12,000 Kpods worth S$800,000 in largest haul to date
This is the first importation case charged under the Tobacco and Vaporisers Control Act. If convicted, the 24-year-old and 26-year-old face up to 20 years' jail.
The vaporiser pods found concealed in 161 parcels in the car on May 6, 2026. (Photo: HSA)
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SINGAPORE: Two people are facing up to 20 years’ jail for allegedly importing more than 12,000 Kpods into Singapore, in the largest haul illegally imported into Singapore to date.
Nurain Ismail, 24 and Muhammad Izzat Emer Mohd Hassan, 26, are accused of entering Singapore from Malaysia through Woodlands Checkpoint in a car, with 12,273 vaporiser pods believed to contain etomidate, court documents read.
Officers from the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority discovered the pods concealed in 161 parcels hidden in the car, said the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) in a separate press release on Friday (May 15).
The pods have an estimated street value exceeding S$800,000, said the authority, adding that this is the largest haul of etomidate vaporiser pods allegedly illegally imported into Singapore to date.
Kpods are vape pods containing etomidate, which was listed as a Class C drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act in September 2025.
The Tobacco and Vaporisers Control Act was amended in March to reflect significantly raised maximum penalties for possessing, using, importing and selling vapes in Singapore.
Taken together, the new laws spell out higher penalties for abusers who commit offences involving the anaesthetic agent.
This is the first importation case charged under the Act, said HSA in a press release on Friday.
They each face a jail term of between three years and 20 years. If he is convicted, Izzat could also be sentenced to five to 15 strokes of the cane, in addition to a jail term.
The Malaysians will return to court on Jun 26.
According to the Ministry of Health (MOH) and HSA, more than 26,000 vaporisers and related components were seized at Singapore’s air, land and sea checkpoints, and 24 smuggling cases were uncovered in the first quarter of 2026.
