ICA foils attempt to smuggle nearly 38,000 vape products; largest land checkpoint bust in 2024

SINGAPORE - An attempt to smuggle into Singapore on Aug 21 a record haul of vape products went up in smoke, after the authorities foiled the endeavour at Tuas Checkpoint.

The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) said in an Oct 16 Facebook post that its officers found 37,588 pieces of e-vaporisers and refills in a Malaysia-registered lorry at the checkpoint.

It was the largest vape bust of 2024 at Singapore’s land checkpoints.

ICA said its image analysts saw irregularities in scanned images of the vehicle and directed it for further checks.

The contraband products were found in the consignment, and the case was referred to the Health Sciences Authority for investigation.

About 5,480 people were caught having e-vaporisers

or using one here in the first half of 2024.

The purchase, use or possession of vapes jumped 58 per cent to about 7,900 cases in 2023, from about 5,000 cases in 2022.

With the clampdown on vaping and the authorities stepping up checks, even in public hot spots such as the Central Business District,

patients with breathing issues caused by vaping are aware and are keeping mum

.

The Ministry of Education

previously revealed

in 2023 that an average of about seven in every 1,000 students in primary schools, secondary schools and institutes of higher learning have been caught for smoking and vaping offences.