On Friday (20 Jan), the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) caught a peddler who sold illegal e-vaporisers to students at West Mall.
Officials seized more than 400 e-vaporisers and 350 related components with a street value of over $11,000 from the retail outlet at West Mall as well as the man’s Tampines residence.
Source: Health Sciences Authority
The 36-year-old man is currently assisting HSA in investigations.
After receiving a tip-off that a retail outlet at a neighbourhood shopping mall was selling prohibited e-vaporisers to students, HSA carried out in-depth surveillance and intelligence gathering.
They then launched a covert operation to catch the peddler.
HSA said the man was operating from his workplace at West Mall.
He had stored the prohibited items in the retail outlet as well as at his residence in Tampines.
Source: Health Sciences Authority
Officials found more than 400 e-vaporisers and 350 components from both locations.
Source: Health Sciences Authority
The authority warned that they will not hesitate to take stern enforcement actions against those who conduct illegal activities such as peddling prohibited e-vaporisers to the public.
This is especially so when it involves youths and students.
In the press release on Tuesday (31 Jan), HSA reminded the public that under the Tobacco (Control of Advertisements and Sale) Act, importing, distributing, selling, or offering to sell imitation tobacco products is prohibited.
This includes shisha tobacco, smokeless tobacco, chewing tobacco, as well as e-vaporisers and their components.
Anyone found guilty of the offence faces up to six months’ jail, a maximum S$10,000 fine, or both, for their first offence.
Subsequent offences may lead to a maximum 12 months’ imprisonment, up to S$20,000 fine, or both.
Purchasing, using, and possessing these illegal products is also an offence.
Those who prove guilty may face up to a S$2,000 fine per offence.
HSA will also seize and confiscate all prohibited tobacco items.
According to Healthhub, vaping is harmful and has been linked to lung injuries and in severe cases, death. Therefore, the authorities have prohibited e-vaporisers in Singapore.
More information about prohibited tobacco products can be found on HSA’s website here.
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 66842036 or 66842037 during office hours.
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Featured image adapted from Health Sciences Authority and Google Maps.
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