How MRT station staff caught a commuter in possession of a vape

SINGAPORE: When security staff stationed at Bishan MRT station saw a young man running away after being singled out for a security screening at the station entrance, they immediately followed him. 

The security officers from Certis Cisco spotted him throwing an item into some bushes near the station, before returning to retrieve his bag, which he had left at the station entrance. 

The man’s actions set alarm bells ringing, and they went to the bushes to see what was discarded. True enough, they found a turquoise e-vaporiser lying in the bushes. 

At the same time, officers also asked the man, who was in his late teens, to stay put as SMRT duty station manager, Mr Muhammad Altamis, was alerted.

Mr Altamis then proceeded to question the man.

"I approached him and said: 'Is this yours?' And I needed him to answer truthfully, because we have a lot of surveillance (cameras), so yeah, he admitted," he said.

The vape was placed in a plastic bag and seized, and will be passed to the Health Sciences Authority (HSA). 

The man’s personal particulars were taken down, and they will also be passed to HSA for further action, such as the issuance of a fine. 

He remained calm throughout this process as some members of the media watched and took photos. He then walked away quickly after the process was completed. 

He was among about 60 offenders who were caught with vapes across MRT stations, bus interchanges, trains, buses and public areas in the past six weeks, said the Land Transport Authority (LTA) in a statement.

They were caught after stepped-up efforts against vaping kickstarted on Aug 18 - with LTA staff and public transport operators involved in enforcement.

The media were invited to the Bishan bus interchange and MRT station on Monday (Sep 29) to watch the staff, such as Mr Altamis, in action. 

Of the cases caught on public transport, 90 per cent - including the teenager - were caught through security screenings, such as X-ray machines and walk-through metal detectors at MRT stations, said LTA in a statement.  

A whole-of-government effort has been undertaken to intensify efforts to combat vaping in Singapore. Other than enhanced patrols across the public transport network, there have also been more checks done in schools and institutes of higher learning, alongside other settings. 

From Sep 1, individuals caught possessing, using or purchasing e-vaporisers have been facing higher penalties, with recalcitrant users possibly required to undergo rehabilitation.

Tha authorities said on Saturday that from Sep 1 to Sep 21, 656 people were caught for vape-related offences, including 44 who were confirmed to possess vapes laced with etomidate.

PUBLIC TRANSPORT, LTA STAFF ON PATROL FOR VAPES

On buses, trains and interchanges, public transport staff conduct active patrols and checks to "deter and detect prohibited activities such as the use or possession of vapes", said LTA in a statement. 

They have been empowered under the Tobacco (Control of Advertisement and Sales) Act to serve notices and seize vapes before handing them to HSA.

One such staff member is Mr Romel Cajandab Sangalla, who is a senior station manager at Bishan MRT station.  

Earlier this month, he was alerted by the station security officers of a man in his thirties who was caught with five vapes. 

Initially, he was afraid that the man would be violent or uncooperative when confronted, but these fears were not realised. 

"Of course, he was uneasy, but I tried to calm him down," said Mr Sangalla. "He was worried that the case might elevate (to the point where) he would lose his job."

The case was handed to HSA, and the man was given a fine. 

For Bishan Bus Interchange supervisor Desmond Chi, he has been walking around the interchange every two hours, looking at secluded areas like smoking corners for commuters who are vaping. 

While he has not caught any commuters in the act, he explained that the protocol is to report the particulars of vape users or those in possession of vapes to HSA. If the commuter is uncooperative or leaves the scene, they will make a note of their physical appearance and hand over surveillance footage to the authorities. 

Asked if patrolling for vapes adds to his workload, he said: "I still take it as part of our duty, to keep our Bishan Bus Interchange safe for the commuters."

LTA said that the presence of such staff complements other security measures such as surveillance cameras and random inspections. 

On roads, public paths, and public transport facilities, LTA enforcement officers also look out for offences such as the illegal use or possession of vapes.