8 convicted for selling e-vaporisers online, fined a total of S$57,000: HSA

SINGAPORE — Eight people aged between 19 and 32 have been convicted for illegally selling electronic vaporisers and related components in Singapore, the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) said.

In a statement on Tuesday (Nov 16), HSA said that the eight were convicted from July to October this year, with total fines amounting to S$57,000.

More than S$70,000 worth of e-vaporisers and related components were also seized.

The eight sellers had bought the prohibited items from overseas and sold them illegally on various social media and e-commerce platforms, HSA added.

One of the convicted was a youth offender, 19-year-old Tang Wee Meng, who was sentenced to 15 months’ probation on July 23 for offences relating to importing, advertising and selling e-vaporisers, related components, and e-liquids with nicotine.

Tang was caught selling the items on Telegram and his illegal activities were detected when he was arrested by a police officer for trying to smuggle his stocks at Woodlands Checkpoint.

Among the other offenders were:

• Khong Soon Kee Michael, 31, who was fined S$7,000 on July 28 for advertising and selling e-vaporisers and related components on Facebook
• Yew Chee Sian, 32, who was fined S$40,500 on Sept 16. He and an accomplice were caught bringing in more than 7,000 pieces of e-vaporisers and related components through parcel post and were involved in selling the items. Investigations against his accomplice are still ongoing
• Yeo Kiong Swee Justin, 23, who was sentenced to two weeks’ jail and fined S$2,000 on Oct 27 for possession and theft of e-vaporiser pods. Yeo and two accomplices stole the pods from a seller they had arranged to meet with the intention to resell them for a profit. Phang Zhi Hau, 28, who was delivering the products on behalf of the seller, reported the theft to the police. Phang was fined S$2,000 for offences related to the e-vaporisers. The court hearing for Yeo’s accomplices is pending

In its statement, HSA added that from Jan 1, 2018, to Oct 31, 2021, it has prosecuted 64 people for selling e-vaporisers and their related components. The highest fine meted out so far was S$99,000 for the illegal sale of such items.

E-vaporisers are prohibited in Singapore and it is an offence under the Tobacco Act to sell, possess for sale, import or distribute e-vaporisers and their related components.

Those convicted of doing so can be fined up to S$10,000 or jailed up to six months, or receive both punishments for the first offence. Second-time or subsequent offenders can face fines of up to S$20,000 or up to 12 months’ jail, or both.

HSA reminded the public that it is also an offence to possess, buy or use e-vaporisers and their related components.

From Feb 1, 2018, to Oct 31, 2021, 6,354 people have been caught and “taken to task” for the possession and use of e-vaporisers and their related components, the authority added.

Those convicted can be fined up to S$2,000 for each offence.