HSA seizes S$41,000 worth of illegal cough syrup & prescription medicines in Yishun & Changi Airport

The Health Sciences Authority (HSA) successfully intercepted two smuggling operations.

According to a Nov. 28, 2025 press release, the operations involved illegal cough syrup and prescription medicines worth around S$41,000.

These were from alleged smugglers in two separate cases.

Cough syrup

The release noted that in the first case, HSA was alerted on Nov. 17, 2025 to the illegal cough syrup by a courier company, which involved two suspicious crates at their storage facility.

The overseas shipments, were deceptively labelled as a well-known household bleach.

However, they contained suspected codeine-based cough syrup.

These shipments were intended to be delivered to two separate addresses in Yishun.

HSA conducted simultaneous enforcement operations at both delivery addresses on the same day.

These operations saw over 106 litres of codeine cough syrup worth about S$29,000 being seized by HSA from these locations.

Preliminary investigations indicated that the 43-year-old Singaporean male importer orchestrated the illegal distribution to both locations for financial gain.

The investigation is ongoing.

Addictive prescription medicines

In addition, the release stated that on Nov. 19, 2025, a 23-year-old foreign national was caught at Changi Airport Terminal 3.

The individual had attempted to smuggle about 11,500 units of addictive prescription medicines, including sedatives and painkillers valued at approximately S$12,000 in street value.

The offender was detected by Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) officers who alerted HSA officers.

The release stated that prescription medicines should only be obtained from a doctor or from a pharmacy with a valid prescription and should be taken under medical supervision.

They may otherwise pose serious health risks if consumed without medical supervision.

Investigation into the case is also ongoing.

Penalties

Anyone convicted of being caught importing, manufacturing and/ or supplying illegal health products is liable to up to two years' and/ or a fine of up to S$50,000.

Continued crackdown

Two people were prosecuted for illegal supply of cough syrups and prescription medicines in 2024.

In November 2024, Rasel Md, 33, was convicted and sentenced to 32 weeks' jail.

This was for illegal possession and distribution of close to two litres of cough syrups and more than 3,700 units of prescription medicines in Geylang, including sedatives, with an estimated value of S$4,000.

In January 2024, Muhammad Danish Fitri, 26, was convicted and sentenced to nine months' jail.

This was for importing more than 9,500 units of prescription medicines including sedatives, estimated to be worth more than S$27,000 through Woodlands Checkpoint.

Members of the public are encouraged to report any illegal activity involving illegal cough syrup and medicines to the Enforcement Branch of HSA at 6866-3485 from 8:30am to 5:30pm on Monday to Friday.

They can also email [email protected].

Top photos from HSA press release