Man arrested for smuggling into S’pore over 9,200 vape pods in shipment declared as power banks

SINGAPORE – A 25-year-old man was arrested for smuggling more than 9,200 vape pods into Singapore.

The vape pods were discovered on Sept 17 at the Pasir Panjang Scanning Station, the police, Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) and Health Sciences Authority (HSA) said in a joint release on Sept 30.

The pods were concealed within an inbound cargo container declared to contain power banks.

On Sept 18, HSA and the police established the identity of a Singaporean man involved with the consignment. He was subsequently arrested for his suspected involvement in illegally importing vape pods.

The man was found with another 85 vape pods and their related components.

The total street value of the items seized is more than $51,000.

Those convicted of importing, distributing, selling or offering vapes and its accessories may be fined up to $10,000, jailed for up to six months, or both, on the first offence.

An offender may be fined up to $20,000, jailed for up to a year, or both, on subsequent convictions.

Under the

enhanced clampdown on vapes,

which took effect on Sept 1, those found possessing, using or purchasing vapes face higher penalties than before.

First-time offenders aged 18 and above will be fined $700. Second-time offenders will need to undergo rehabilitation, and failure to do so would result in prosecution. Those caught using vapes for the third time and more may be fined up to $2,000.

Investigations are ongoing.