Abroad
S'porean man arrested in Japan after allegedly smuggling etomidate from Thailand
He claimed to not know it was etomidate.
April 20, 2026, 11:14 AM
A Singaporean man has been arrested in Japan for allegedly attempting to smuggle a liquid containing etomidate from Thailand into Japan.
According to local network ANN News, the suspect, Mohammad Faiz bin Mohammad Nasser, was found with a suitcase containing multiple plastic bottles, each wrapped in a different coloured label.
He was caught at the Narita Airport on Apr. 18, 2026.
Etomidate, also known as "zombie cigarettes," has been designated as a controlled substance in Japan since May 2025.
Offered S$2,000
Faiz reportedly claimed he was offered S$2,000 by an acquaintance in Singapore for transporting the drugs from Thailand to Japan.
He has partially denied the charges, stating he didn't know it was etomidate, ANN News reported.
Local police believe an international smuggling organisation is involved, and investigations are ongoing.
Another case
Faiz's arrest came just two days after a Taiwanese woman was arrested at Tokyo's Haneda airport after being found with 4kg of etomidate, in what police said was a record seizure.
Liu Ting Yu, 50, has denied the allegation, saying she had borrowed the suitcase and was unaware it contained etomidate.
Liu similarly travelled from Thailand into Japan.
Top photos from ANN News/YouTube
