Accident leads S’pore police to find 94 vape pods, rental car driver admits to using etomidate
A traffic accident involving a rental car and a taxi led police to uncover 94 vaporiser pods, with the 31-year-old driver subsequently charged with allegedly trafficking etomidate pods.
The Health Sciences Authority (HSA) said Tan Jun Yuan, Jovan was charged in court on Aug 12 under the Tobacco and Vaporisers Control Act.
According to HSA, Traffic Police officers attended to an accident involving Tan’s rental car and a taxi on Aug 10.
While searching the car, officers found two vaporisers and a total of 94 vaporiser pods.
HSA officers were alerted and took over the seized items at the scene.
Tan was arrested by the Traffic Police before he was handed over to HSA to assist with investigations.
Driver admitted to vaping etomidate before accident
An instant urine test subsequently returned a positive result for etomidate.
Tan also admitted that he had vaped etomidate on the morning before the accident, HSA said in a news release on Aug 19.
He was remanded for a week.
Laboratory tests later confirmed that the seized pods contained etomidate.
According to HSA, one vaporiser and one pod were for Tan’s personal consumption, while the remaining items were allegedly intended for supply.
Photos released by HSA show dozens of pods separated into multiple transparent bags, along with the seized vaporisers.
Investigations into the vaporiser and etomidate trafficking offences are ongoing.
Tan is also assisting the Traffic Police with investigations under the Road Traffic Act.
His case was mentioned again in court on Aug 19 and has been adjourned to Sept 28.
Suppliers face up to 10 years’ jail
HSA said it takes a serious view of vaporiser and etomidate trafficking offences.
Under the Tobacco and Vaporisers Control Act, etomidate and its analogues are listed as Specified Psychoactive Substances.
Those convicted of importing them face between three and 20 years’ jail and five to 15 strokes of the cane.
Suppliers face between two and 10 years’ jail and two to five strokes of the cane.
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