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SINGAPORE \u2013 Four Singaporean men are under investigation for their alleged involvement in a syndicate which supplied etomidate vaporiser pods, or Kpods, in Singapore.<\/p>\n
The case is the first suspected transnational etomidate vaporiser pod supply syndicate being investigated under the Tobacco and Vaporisers Control Act, said the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) in a statement on June 30.<\/p>\n
Kong Qi Cong, 32, was arrested on June 23 at a residential unit in Teck Whye, where 1,000 Kpods and cash amounting to over $6,000 were seized.<\/p>\n
HSA officers arrested Willy Poh Wei Li, 32, the same day at a residential unit in Tampines, where another 111 vaporiser pods were seized.<\/p>\n
Two vehicles believed to have been used in the local distribution of the Kpods have been impounded, HSA added.<\/p>\n
Laboratory testing confirmed that the 1,111 pods HSA seized contain etomidate. The pods have an estimated street value of more than $83,000.<\/p>\n
Two other men \u2013 Tobias Tan Wei An, 27, and Michael Jordan Tan Wei Hui, 31 \u2013 were arrested separately in connection with the case.<\/p>\n
The pair are said to have been involved in discussions with other individuals to supply Kpods when they were caught.<\/p>\n
The four were investigated following a case in May that saw Immigration and Checkpoints Authority officers at Woodlands Checkpoint recover 12,273 Kpods worth more than $800,000 concealed in 161 parcels hidden in a car.<\/p>\n
It was the biggest haul of etomidate vaporiser pods illegally imported into Singapore to date.<\/p>\n
On June 30, Poh and Kong were taken to Compassvale Walk in separate vans.<\/p>\n