Singapore Man Jailed and Caned for Driving Under Influence of Etomidate While Trafficking Kpods

A 32 year old man, Jeremy Chua Beng Kai, was sentenced to three years and three months in jail and two strokes of the cane on September 4 for trafficking, possessing, and consuming Kpods, as well as driving under the influence of etomidate. Chua will also be disqualified from driving for five years following his release. The court heard that Chua was a repeat offender who committed a second drug driving offense while on bail for the first.

In August 2025, Chua was arrested after an off duty police officer noticed him swerving and driving slowly on the Kallang Paya Lebar Expressway. A toxicology report later confirmed the presence of etomidate in his bloodstream. Between October 14 and 20, 2025, Chua began delivering Kpods, which are vapes laced with etomidate, to settle debts he had accumulated from online gambling. He reportedly made 10 to 12 deliveries a day, earning 20 Singapore dollars per delivery and receiving debt reductions from his supplier.

On October 20, 2025, Chua collected 29 Kpods and 1,610 Singapore dollars in cash. While driving in Punggol, he drove against the flow of traffic for approximately 10 to 15 meters, forcing another driver to brake. Police subsequently found the Kpods and other vaporizers in his car, and tests again found etomidate in his blood.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Darren Ang highlighted the danger of etomidate, noting that between 2023 and 2025, there were 38 traffic accidents linked to drug and etomidate use, 19 of which were fatal. Chua's lawyer, Riko Isaac, argued for a shorter sentence, stating that Chua used the substances to cope with stress and misery caused by his financial situation. While the center leaning report focuses on the personal struggle and the specific legal arguments for mitigation, the center right leaning report emphasizes the repeat nature of the offense and places the event within a broader trend of recent etomidate related arrests.