On 20 January 2023, the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) conducted an operation at a retail outlet in West Mall, and a residence in Tampines, nabbing a peddler who sold prohibited electronic vaporisers (e-vaporisers) to students.
Large quantities of e-vaporisers and related components with an estimated street value of more than $11,000 were seized.
A 36-year-old male subject is currently assisting HSA in the investigation.
HSA carried out in-depth surveillance and intelligence gathering following a tip-off that a retail outlet in a neighbourhood shopping mall was selling prohibited e-vaporisers to students. HSA then mounted a covert operation to catch the e-vaporiser peddler.
The peddler was operating from his workplace at the mall and had stored the prohibited items there as well as at his residence.
A total of more than 400 e-vaporisers and 350 components were seized from these two locations.
HSA would like to remind the public that the Tobacco (Control of Advertisements and Sale) Act prohibits the import, distribution, sale or offer for sale of imitation tobacco products. These include shisha tobacco, smokeless tobacco, chewing tobacco such as Gutkha, Khaini, Zarda, e-vaporisers and their components.
Any person convicted of an offence is liable to a fine of up to $10,000, or imprisonment of up to six months or both for the first offence, and a fine of up to $20,000, or imprisonment of up to 12 months or both for the second or subsequent offence.
In addition, it is also an offence to purchase, use and possess such products. The penalty is a fine of up to $2,000 per offence. All prohibited tobacco items will also be seized and confiscated.