Man charged with seeking bribes in exchange for information on HSA vape raids

SINGAPORE: A chief enforcement supervisor of a company authorised to carry out enforcement duties for the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) allegedly asked for bribes from a man in exchange for exclusive information on vape raids.

Michael Anthony Pillay, a 34-year-old Singaporean, was charged in court on Friday (Sep 5) for an offence under the Prevention of Corruption Act.

According to a statement by the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB), Pillay attempted to obtain bribes amounting to S$8,000 (US$6,200) on multiple occasions in 2024 from Chua Wee Ming.

This was in exchange for Pillay providing Chua with exclusive information about raids conducted by HSA involving vape products.

Chua is a 34-year-old Malaysian man named in reports linked to a vape stash that HSA seized, worth more than S$6 million.

According to court documents by co-accused individuals who pleaded guilty, Chua had allegedly imported hundreds of thousands of vaporisers and components into Singapore for sale.

He allegedly got a 38-year-old man to smuggle vapes into Singapore and enlisted a fellow Malaysian man to conduct surveillance on the S$6 million stash that was being held in a warehouse by HSA.

Chua also allegedly recruited another man to climb into the unit containing the stash, and this man roped in yet another accomplice. Both have been jailed for their roles.

Chua has been remanded since October 2024 and has more than 20 charges against him, with a pre-trial conference fixed for later this month, court records show.

Pillay was unrepresented. When asked how he could be pleading, he said he needs time to get a lawyer. The case was adjourned to October.

If convicted of corruption, Pillay could be jailed for up to five years, fined up to S$100,000, or both.

STRINGENT STANDARDS FOR OUTSOURCED OFFICERS

In response to CNA's queries, HSA said it became aware of Pillay’s potential involvement in corruption during an operation against e-vaporisers on Oct 10, 2024. His case was then referred his case to CPIB.

The company Pillay was working for, WSH Experts, was a private enforcement agency subcontracted to help the tobacco regulation branch of HSA.

HSA said Pillay was immediately removed from his duties at the agency once the allegations were made known and his services were terminated by WSH Experts on Oct 10, 2024.

"HSA takes a serious view of any alleged misconduct by its officers, including outsourced officers," said a spokesperson. "Enforcement officers are expected to uphold the law and perform their tasks with honesty and integrity. HSA has zero-tolerance for any misconduct."

In July 2024, a former investigation officer working at WSH Experts was given more than 28 months' jail for sexual offences against women he was investigating for vape-related crimes.

In September 2024, an enforcement officer from WSH Experts was jailed for leaking the schedule of joint anti-vape operations by authorities.

HSA said it holds its outsourced enforcement officers to stringent standards, with officers undergoing rigorous screening and training. While "isolated cases" have occurred, they do not reflect the values or standards of the broader force, a spokesperson added.

"No system is immune to individual lapses, and when they occur, we act decisively - through internal investigations, cooperation with CPIB, and legal prosecution."