Waitress caught with Kpods twice at club she worked at, gets reformative training

SINGAPORE: A 21-year-old woman was ordered on Friday (May 15) to undergo reformative training for a minimum of 12 months after she was caught twice with etomidate-laced vapes, known as Kpods, at a nightclub where she worked as a waitress.

According to charge sheets, Tan Xin Yi, a Singaporean, was caught at Club Poseidon in Excelsior Shopping Centre on Coleman Street.

Tan pleaded guilty to two counts of knowingly having in her possession a Kpod on two separate occasions in August and September 2025.

Authorities have warned that inhaling etomidate directly into the lungs can cause side effects such as spasms, breathing issues and seizures.

THE CASE

Tan had reported to work at 11.30pm on Aug 15, 2025, when an unidentified colleague introduced her to a new vape flavour.

Tan proceeded to use a vape belonging to her colleague's customer which had an etomidate-laced pod attached to it, court documents read.

Officers from the Health Sciences Authority (HSA), who were conducting a joint operation at various entertainment outlets, subsequently entered the room she was in.

Tan's colleague asked her to hide the Kpod under her long sleeves, but officers eventually discovered it.

In her statement to the authorities, Tan said she knew the pod contained etomidate as her colleague did not smoke "normal vape pods".

She was detained at the club shortly before 1am on Aug 16, 2025.

Tan was caught with a Kpod a second time during a raid at the same club on Sep 28, 2025. This time, they found the device in her bag.

Investigations revealed that Tan began smoking Kpods in July 2025 and she was aware that they contained etomidate.

She was "addicted" to Kpods and regularly bought her stash from a Telegram supplier named "Dr K" for S$65 (US$51) apiece, according to court documents.

Each pod would last Tan for the whole day, and she smoked Kpods five days a week.

Tan said she "felt like a zombie" after taking Kpods, adding that she felt giddy and stuttered while speaking thereafter.

DIDN'T TURN UP FOR REHAB

After she reoffended in September 2025, HSA issued Tan a notice to attend rehabilitation in lieu of prosecution. The notice specified that she must attend and complete a three-month rehabilitation programme to quit vaping.

The programme also had to start within three working days from the date of the notice. Tan acknowledged the instructions on Oct 2, 2025 and was scheduled to attend her first session five days later at the Youth Services Children Society.

But she did not turn up. When contacted, Tan rescheduled the rehab session to slightly over a week later on Oct 16, but failed to show up again.

Another attempt was made to reschedule the session for later that month but Tan became uncontactable from Oct 18.

A prosecutor from HSA told the court on Friday that Tan was found unsuitable for probation, noting as well that the accused's mother was "permissive". 

She also said Tan's risk of reoffending is high. The accused was found suitable for reformative training and ordered to undergo it. Tan asked to defer her sentence by two weeks so she could spend time with her mother and settle personal matters.

The court granted it and Tan is expected to commence her sentence on Jun 3.

For possessing etomidate, a poison listed under the Poisons Act 1938, an offender can be jailed for up to two years, fined up to S$10,000, or both.