E-Vaporiser Peddler Who Sold To Students Gets S$13,700 Fine On 24 Nov
Back on 20 Jan, the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) announced that they had caught a man selling e-vaporisers to students at a retail outlet in West Mall.
Following a tip-off, more than 400 e-vaporisers and 350 components were seized from his workplace at a store in the mall and his home.
Source: Health Sciences Authority (HSA)
HSA estimated the street value of his inventory to be more than S$11,000.
Since then, the e-vaporiser peddler has been slapped with a fine of S$13,700. The retail outlet in question has also been identified as Harvey Norman.
E-vaporiser peddler made around S$10,000 in sales
36-year-old Marcus Chen Jun Ming, the e-vaporiser peddler, admitted to making around S$10,000 from selling the items.
According to Channel NewsAsia (CNA), he was arrested on 20 Jan after 75 boxes containing three pods each and 110 vapes were found at the store alone.
Source: Health Sciences Authority (HSA)
He had stowed some of the pods away in his locker as well.
Later that day at around 8pm, HSA uncovered another 251 boxes of pods and 409 vapes after raiding his home in Tampines.
Mr Chen confessed that all the items were his and that some were for his own consumption.
The Harvey Norman outlet was his main place of operation, seeing as he sold to students there.
Fined S$13,700 on 24 Nov for offence
For his wrongdoings, Mr Chen will have to pay a fine of S$13,700.
HSA’s website states that first-time offenders convicted of importing, distributing, selling, or offering to sell imitation tobacco products will face a fine of up to S$10,000.
Source: Health Sciences Authority (HSA)
Other imitation tobacco products include shisha tobacco, smokeless tobacco, and chewing tobacco such as Gutkha, Khaini, and Zarda.
Those convicted may also be jailed up to six months, either with or without the fine.
Meanwhile, repeat offenders may get a fine of up to S$20,000, jail term of up to 12 months, or both.
On top of that, the purchase, use, and possession of the aforementioned products may incur a fine of up to S$2,000.
HSA will seize and confiscate all prohibited tobacco items.
Anyone with information on the illegal import, distribution, sale, or offer for sale of e-vaporisers can contact HSA’s Tobacco Regulation Branch at 66842036 or 66842037 during office hours.
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Featured image adapted from Health Sciences Authority (HSA).
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