4 vape pods suspected to contain etomidate seized by HSA at City Hall entertainment outlets, Singapore News
On Saturday (Aug 16), AsiaOne was among the media invited to visit a seemingly quiet, unassuming building along Coleman Street.
The authorities raided two public entertainment establishments at the location during the wee hours of the morning.
Upon the media's arrival at around 1.15am, a crowd was seen leaving the building with some people seemingly agitated and a few even hurling expletives.
At one point, some were also heard shouting incoherently from the higher floors.
The first establishment raided by police and HSA officers was a smaller area which had multiple private karaoke rooms.
Upon entering the premises, two suspects were seen seated in adjacent rooms while facing away from the doors.
The devices seized from the establishment were laid out on the tables in both rooms. They comprised of 14 e-vaporisers, as well as four pods suspected of containing etomidate
Not all of the devices and pods seen in the rooms belonged to these two suspects, as a total of four suspects were questioned during the operation, according to HSA.
AsiaOne understands that those caught with e-vaporisers were immediately issued fines.
The purchase, possession and use of e-vaporisers are prohibited in Singapore under the Tobacco (Control of Advertisements and Sale) Act, with offenders facing a fine of up to $2,000.
Additionally, the pods suspected of containing etomidate will be sent for testing before any further action is taken.
The second location raided on Saturday morning was a larger, lounge-style area with a stage for live music. A sign at its entrance warned patrons against vaping on the premises.
At this establishment, authorities found five suspects who had a total of nine e-vaporisers, which were laid out on a table in front of them.
None of these devices were suspected to contain etomidate.
Etomidate is a substance classified as a poison under the Poisons Act and requires a licence to be imported and sold.
E-vaporiser pods containing etomidate are also referred to as Kpods.
On July 30, Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs K Shanmugam said that etomidate will be classified as a Class C drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act as an "interim measure" while the Ministry of Health conducts further studies to form legislation regarding etomidate and related substances.
Listing it as Class C drug under the MDA allows for "tougher enforcement measures", where abusers will be subjected to mandatory supervision and rehabilitation regimes if convicted, he added. 8 pods suspected to contain etomidate seized islandwide
During the islandwide operations from Friday night to Saturday morning, a total of 115 people aged 17 to 61 were caught for e-vaporiser related offences.
This includes five individuals caught with suspected etomidate vapes, said a HSA spokesperson.
More than 280 e-vaporisers and related components as well as eight pods suspected to contain etomidate were seized by HSA officers.
Speaking to media at Coleman Street, Head of Operations for the Central Police Division Supt Esther Koh said: "We will continue to work with other agencies to clamp down on illicit activities and support HSA's efforts to crack down on the use of e-vaporisers."
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bhavya.rawat@asiaone.com
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