More than 18,400 e-vaporisers, or vapes, were intercepted at the Tuas Checkpoint, marking the largest such haul since stiffer penalties took effect from 1 Sept.
The items were found inside a Malaysia-registered lorry, said the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) in a Facebook post on Tuesday (16 Sept).
Source: Immigration & Checkpoints Authority on Facebook
The lorry had been declared as carrying “components for motorised external roll-up blinds”.
Source: Immigration & Checkpoints Authority on Facebook
But before it arrived at about 7am on Monday (15 Sept), it was profiled in a risk assessment by the ICA’s Integrated Targeting Centre (ITC) and sent for enhanced checks.
Source: Immigration & Checkpoints Authority on Facebook
During the inspection, officers uncovered more than 18,400 vapes and 1,400 related components in the lorry.
Source: Immigration & Checkpoints Authority on Facebook
A Malaysian man was arrested in connection with the case, with both him and the seized items referred to the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) for further investigation.
ICA said the haul is the largest of smuggled vapes detected at a Singapore land checkpoint since stronger penalties to tackle vaping were introduced at the start of this month.
The whole-of-Government efforts include intensified checks by ICA at the checkpoints against the smuggling of vapes.
Pre-arrival risk assessments are one of the ways ICA has enhanced its checks, with the ITC operating 24/7 and leveraging data analytics in conducting them.
Travellers, conveyances and cargo assessed to be of higher risk are flagged for checks upon arrival at the checkpoints before they even enter Singapore, according to ICA.
Also read: ICA busts lorry carrying 2,400 cartons of contraband cigarettes hidden in ‘tomato’ boxes in Tuas
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Featured image adapted from Immigration & Checkpoints Authority on Facebook.