RAIDS ON SUPPLIERS AND SELLERS
Several major raids have been conducted against e-vaporiser suppliers in recent months, MOH and HSA said.
On Apr 24, HSA seized e-vaporisers and related components with a street value of more than S$5 million from a Woodlands Industrial Park warehouse unit.
Two Thai nationals, men aged 22 and 30, were arrested at the warehouse and on Jul 18 convicted of possessing and selling imitation tobacco products as well as immigration-related offences.
They were both sentenced to 10 months’ imprisonment and fined S$9,000 and S$7,000 respectively.
Between Jun 14 and Jun 18, HSA also seized over 350,000 e-vaporisers and components with a street value of more than S$6 million in raids at three different locations.
Two men and two women aged between 34 and 52 were apprehended in connection with the haul.
On Jul 8, HSA also disrupted an e-vaporiser distribution network that involved over 17,000 e-vaporisers and components with a street value of S$200,000 that had been meant for sale on messaging app Telegram.
The network was disrupted through raids carried out at Jalan Kilang Timor, Toh Guan Road and Anchorvale Drive over a 24-hour period. Two men, aged 30 and 44, are currently assisting with investigations.
“During the same period, HSA also worked with the administrators of the local e-commerce and social media platforms to take down more than 2,000 listings of e-vaporisers and components such as pods and refills,” MOH and HSA said.
“This came on the back of Letters of Notice sent to local e-commerce and social media platforms in March 2024, to remind them of their obligations to prevent the advertisement and sale of e-vaporisers on their platforms.”
A total of six people aged between 24 and 36 were convicted in court of selling e-vaporisers and related components between Apr 1 to Jun 30. They were fined a total of more than S$51,000.