A 37-year-old man who was caught on video vaping inside an MRT train has been fined S$2,200 after authorities tracked him down and raided his home.
According to Shin Min Daily News, Tay Choon Loong Aloysius pleaded guilty on 24 Feb to one count of possession of an imitation tobacco product, and another count of buying an imitation tobacco product.
A video of his offence began circulating on social media around April 2025.
The footage showed a man vaping inside an MRT carriage before quickly putting the device away.
Source: @sgfollowsall on Instagram
Officers from the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) conducted a raid at Tay’s home on 22 April 2025.
However, they did not find any prohibited items at the time.
When shown the viral video, Tay admitted that he was the man in the clip and said he had already thrown the vape away.
He told investigators that the devices were for his own use and that he did not sell them.
He also claimed that he threw each device away after using it.
Under Singapore law, those found guilty of possessing or purchasing vapes can be fined up to S$2,000 per offence.
During sentencing, the judge said that vaping inside a train carriage could affect other commuters, including students and children.
Source: Tanaru Dorin’s Images on Canva for illustration purposes only
The judge also reminded Tay that vapes are banned in Singapore and are not regulated like food products in supermarkets. This meant that users may not even know what substances they are inhaling.
During investigations, Tay said he was on his way to work that day and used the vape to stay alert during his commute.
He also claimed that he had switched to vaping after quitting cigarettes.
Tay admitted that he had bought the vape for S$22 in the back alley of a coffee shop in Geylang.
Between Feb and March 2025, Tay bought three vapes and returned two to three more times to make additional purchases.
He claimed that he bought the items from a Bangladesh national.
Between 1 Sept and 31 Dec 2025, 3,534 people were fined for possessing or using vapes.
During the same period, HSA received more than 4,300 reports related to vaping activities via its hotline and online channels.
Source: Immigration & Checkpoints Authority on Facebook
A total of 51 people were arrested for allegedly smuggling vapes, with more than 41,000 devices and components seized at sea, land and air checkpoints.
Authorities also warned that those who import, sell or distribute Kpods face harsher penalties, including lengthy jail terms and caning.
Also read: 21-year-old man who vaped on bus identified, vapes seized from residence
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Featured image adapted from @sgfollowsall on Instagram & MS News.