On June 28, 2021, the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) charged 14 people with importing 54,392 electronic vaporisers (e-vaporisers) and related components into Singapore. The illegal items’ street value is believed to be over $700,000, making this the greatest confiscation to date.
The 14 smugglers ranged in age from 22 to 54 years old. They were found guilty in court and sentenced to up to two months in jail.
Large quantities
Vaporiser devices
How they were caught:
According to ICA’s media release
“The 14 smugglers comprise drivers and attendants of seven lorries from the same Malaysian company. Their attempt to smuggle the prohibited products was foiled by Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) officers at Tuas Checkpoint on 7 June 2021. ICA officers had found the prohibited products concealed in the cabin passenger seats of the seven Malaysian registered lorries which were used to transport live chickens into Singapore.
HSA’s investigations revealed that these 14 smugglers were instructed to proceed to a designated location in Singapore where they would be approached by a person who would collect the prohibited products.”
Caught and jailed
All images sourced from ICA