SINGAPORE – An attempt to smuggle 70,200 electronic vaporiser refill pods in a Malaysian-registered lorry entering Singapore was foiled on March 28.
The lorry, which was transporting a batch of mineral water, was stopped for checks at Tuas Checkpoint, said the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) in a Facebook post on Monday.
ICA officers found multiple cartons of pods hidden within the batch of mineral water.
They turned out to be 70,200 e-vaporiser refill pods in assorted flavours.
The case has been referred to the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) for further investigation, said ICA.
Last Wednesday, 85,000 e-vaporisers and related components were seized by HSA from a warehouse unit in Mandai, the largest haul of such products to date.
Five suspected runners, aged between 20 and 33, were detained and are assisting HSA in investigations.
The import, distribution, sale and offer for sale of harmful or imitation tobacco products such as e-vaporisers and chewing tobacco are illegal.
An offender can be fined up to $10,000 or jailed for up to six months, or both, for the first offence. He can be fined up to $20,000 or jailed for up to 12 months, or both, for subsequent offences.
