Seizure of $66,000 Worth of Electronic Vaporisers and Accessories by ICA and HSA
A joint effort by the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) and the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) has resulted in a seizure of 189 sets of electronic vaporisers (e-vaporisers) and 4,703 related accessories from a suspected peddler. The estimated street value of the products is $66,000.
2 On 7 November 2019, ICA officers at Changi Airfreight Centre alerted HSA when they detected a consignment of parcels containing e-vaporisers and related accessories. Eight of the parcels containing 24 sets of e-vaporisers and 1,209 related accessories were addressed to the same addressee.
3 HSA visited the addressee’s storage premises and seized an additional five sets of e-vaporisers and 3,194 accessories. The suspect, a 28-year-old male, is currently assisting HSA in our investigations. He had made online orders of e-vaporisers from overseas in an attempt to evade the law by declaring the items as electronic and facial products.
4 On 13 November 2019, HSA was alerted to another suspicious consignment at Changi Airfreight Centre. Seven of the parcels were addressed to the above-mentioned suspect. They were found to contain 160 sets of e-vaporisers and 300 accessories (Photos in Annex A in the pdf).
Penalties for such offences in Singapore
5 HSA takes a very serious view of the smuggling and peddling of e-vaporisers and will continue to work with relevant agencies to clamp down on such activities. Offenders can be fined up to $10,000 or jailed up to six months or to both for the first offence and fined up to $20,000 or jailed up to 12 months or to both for subsequent offences.
6 Anyone caught using, buying or in possession of electronic vaporisers can also be fined up to $2,000.
Consumer advisory
7 Members of the public who have information on illegal activities involving e-vaporisers can contact the Tobacco Regulation Branch at Tel: 6684 2036 or 6684 2037 during office hours (9:00am to 5:30pm, Monday to Friday).
8 The public should not purchase any e-vaporisers (including through the Internet), to be brought into Singapore. The public should also refrain from using e-vaporisers and discard any e-vaporisers they have in their possession.
9 Safeguarding Singapore’s borders remains ICA’s top priority. The same methods of concealment used by contraband smugglers may be used by terrorists to smuggle arms and explosives to carry out attacks in Singapore. ICA will continue to conduct security checks on passengers, cargos and vehicles at the checkpoints to prevent attempts to smuggle undesirable persons, drugs, weapons, explosives and other contrabands across our borders.
HEALTH SCIENCES AUTHORITY
IMMIGRATION & CHECKPOINTS AUTHORITY
26 NOVEMBER 2019
Consumer, Tobacco control
Published:
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