More than S$2 million worth of e-vaporisers and components seized in record haul

SINGAPORE: Thousands of electronic vaporisers and components worth more than S$2 million have been seized in a record haul after the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) raided a storage facility in Boon Lay.

Three people are also currently assisting with investigations, HSA said in a press release on Monday (Oct 25). 

Acting on a tip-off, HSA said it raided the storage facility on Oct 11 and found 10,057 e-vaporisers, 48,822 assorted pods or e-vaporiser components, and 187 e-liquids.

All the confiscated items are worth a total of S$2,260,825. 

The operation also disrupted the supply of e-vaporisers, which are illegal to buy, use or possess in Singapore, the authority added. 

This is the largest haul of tobacco products by the HSA in terms of the volume and street value of the e-vaporisers seized, said the authority. 

It is illegal to import, distribute, sell or offer to sell imitation tobacco products in Singapore. In addition to e-vaporisers and their accessories, these include shisha tobacco, smokeless tobacco, chewing tobacco such as Gutkha, Khaini and Zarda. 

Under the Tobacco (Control of Advertisements and Sale) Act, any person convicted of an offence could be fined up to S$10,000 and/or jailed for up to six months. 

Those convicted of a second or subsequent offence could be fined up to S$20,000 and/or jailed for up to 12 months. 

All prohibited tobacco items will also be seized and confiscated.

Members of the public who have information on illegal activities involving e-vaporisers can submit a report online or contact HSA's Tobacco Regulation Branch during office hours.