SINGAPORE — A total of 176 people were caught for possessing e-vaporisers at last weekend's ZoukOut dance music festival, the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) said on Friday (Dec 8).

The offenders were between 18 and 51 years old. They will be fined and all their e-vaporisers were seized and confiscated.

In a press release, the authority said that its operation at the event — which was held on Dec 2 and 3 at Sentosa's Siloso Beach — was part of its efforts to "enforce the prohibition against e-vaporisers in Singapore".

"HSA will also not hesitate to take stern enforcement actions on those who conduct illegal activities such as the peddling of prohibited e-vaporisers to members of the public."

The punishment for possessing, using or buying an e-vaporiser is a fine of up to S$2,000.

On Nov 23, a 36-year-old man was fined S$13,700 after hundreds of e-vaporisers and pods were found at his workplace at a Harvey Norman outlet in West Mall shopping centre after HSA acted on a tip-off about the sale of vapes to students in the area.

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 from 9am to 5.30pm on weekdays.

HSA said that more information about prohibited tobacco products in Singapore can be found on its website, and details about the harms of e-vaporisers can be found on the HealthHub website.