This is the largest haul of such products since land borders reopened between Singapore and Malaysia in April 2022. - PHOTO: IMMIGRATION AND CHECKPOINTS AUTHORITY/FACEBOOK
SINGAPORE, June 12 (The Straits Times/ANN): The authorities busted an attempt to smuggle more than 120,000 vaping products into Singapore, the largest haul of such products since land borders reopened between Singapore and Malaysia in April 2022.
In a Facebook post on Monday, the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) said its officers at Tuas Checkpoint found disposable e-vaporisers and refill pods hidden among household detergent in a Malaysia-registered lorry last Tuesday.
The case has been referred to the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) for further investigation.
ICA said: “As guardians of our borders, ICA is committed to facilitating trade and safe travels while keeping Singapore’s borders safe and secure.”
Despite the crackdown on such products, illicit vaping continues to be on the rise in Singapore.
According to figures from the HSA, there were almost four times the number of people caught in 2022 for using and possessing e-vaporisers compared with the number in 2020.
In 2022, 4,916 people were caught, compared with 1,266 in 2020 and 4,697 in 2021.
Those caught for using and possessing vaping products can be fined up to $2,000.
Anyone convicted of selling, offering for sale, possessing for sale, importing or distributing e-vaporisers can be fined up to $10,000 and jailed for up to six months. - The Straits Times/ANN
