14 suspected illegal e-vaporisers will be charged for being part of a local organized criminal group. The entire group was broken up by the Singapore Police Force (SPF) over the course of a few weeks. They first busted the syndicate, which they thought had 12 members, on October 16. Then, they caught two more people on October 19 and 23.
The police believe these two recent arrests were key players:
- One man was allegedly involved as a ‘warehouse manager’.
- The other man was supposedly an ‘area distributor’.
The SPF explained that, “The two men… are believed to be part of the e-vaporiser syndicate that orchestrated the importation and distribution of e-vaporisers from Malaysia into Singapore, supplying to the local residents.”
All 14 suspects were initially charged with offences under the Tobacco (Control of Advertisement and Sale) Act. This law makes it illegal to import, distribute, sell, or offer e-vaporisers and their parts.
- Initial Fines: If convicted of these initial charges, they face a fine of up to S$10,000 or up to six months in jail for the first time. The penalty gets even higher for repeat offenders.
However, all 14 people will face an extra-heavy charge under the Organised Crime Act.
In consultation with the Attorney-General’s Chambers, the police said: “The 14 suspected syndicate members will each face an additional charge under Section 5(1) of the Organised Crime Act 2015 for being members of a locally linked organised criminal group, being the e-vaporiser syndicate…”
If they are found guilty of this new charge, they could be hit with a fine of up to S$100,000, up to five years in prison, or both.
Three of the suspected members face an extra charge for allowing their homes or spaces to be used to support the syndicate’s vape distribution. If convicted of that offence, the penalty is even tougher: a fine of up to S$250,000, up to five years in prison, or both.
The suspects are currently in custody to help the police with their investigations and will return to court on October 30 and 31.
