Thirteen Persons Convicted for Illegal Sale of Electronic Vaporisers Online - Total Fines Amount to Over $102,000, One Sentenced to Undergo Reformative Training

The Health Sciences Authority (HSA) has prosecuted 13 persons for selling electronic vaporisers[1] (e-vaporisers) and related components in Singapore. They were convicted in Court between the period of September 2022 and March 2023, with total fines amounting to $102,000. One of the convicted persons was sentenced to undergo reformative training for a period of six months (refer to Annex A for the details).

2        The convicted persons were aged between 18 and 44. They had purchased the e-vaporisers and related components from overseas and sold them illegally on various local social media and e-commerce platforms (refer to Annex B for photos).

HIGHLIGHTS OF SOME CASES

Youth offender sentenced to undergo reformative training of six months

3        Ong Guo Wei Arron, aged 18 years, was caught selling e-vaporisers on Instagram and Whatsapp in May 2019. While investigations were ongoing, he was caught selling e-vaporisers and their components on Instagram and Carousell again in July 2019. He was sentenced to undergo reformative training of six months.

Offender fined $37,000 for selling e-vaporisers on Telegram

4        Tan Jun Kai, aged 30 years, was caught by Immigration & Checkpoints Authority officers when they conducted a search of his car at the Woodlands Checkpoint in July 2019. The case was referred to HSA and investigations revealed that he had smuggled the items from Malaysia on a few occasions and sold them on his Telegram account.  Potential buyers would approach him via the said platform to place their orders.

 5       Tan was sentenced to a total fine of $37,000 for selling and offering for sale e-vaporisers and their related components.  

Offender involved domestic helper in the delivery of orders

6        Jaron Wong Shun Yi, aged 31 years, was caught selling e-vaporisers and their components through a Telegram group. He had got his supplies from a supplier through Whatsapp. His domestic helper would help to deliver the items to buyers when he was not at home.

7        For his illegal acts, Jaron was sentenced to a fine of $8,500.

E-VAPORISERS STRICTLY PROHIBITED IN SINGAPORE

8        HSA would like to remind the public that it is an offence under the Tobacco (Control of Advertisements and Sale) Act to sell, possess for sale, import or distribute e-vaporisers and their related components.  Any person who is convicted is liable to a fine of up to $10,000, or imprisonment of up to 6 months or both for the first offence, and a fine of up to $20,000 or imprisonment of up to 12 months or both for the second or subsequent offence.  

9        It is also an offence for anyone to possess, purchase or use e-vaporisers and their related components.  The penalty is a fine of up to $2,000 per offence. 

10       From 2018 to 2022, HSA had prosecuted 101 persons for selling e-vaporisers and their related components. The highest fine meted out so far was $99,000 to an individual for the illegal sale of these prohibited items. Information pertaining to prohibited tobacco products in Singapore is available on the HSA website and more details about the harmful effects of e-vaporisers can be found in this HealthHub article.

11       HSA conducts active online surveillance and will continue to take strong enforcement actions against those selling e-vaporisers and related components.  We also work closely with the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority to monitor and stop illegal imports of e-vaporisers and related components.

12       Members of the public who have information on the illegal import, distribution, sale or offer for sale of e-vaporisers can contact HSA’s Tobacco Regulation Branch at Tel: 6684 2036 or 6684 2037 during office hours (9:00 am to 5:30 pm, Monday to Friday).

HEALTH SCIENCES AUTHORITY
SINGAPORE
28 APRIL 2023

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[1] Electronic vaporisers refer to battery-operated devices which deliver vaporised nicotine for users to inhale. They come in forms such as e-cigarettes, e-pipes, e-cigars and the like.