Two more men have been arrested in connection with a suspected 12-member e-vaporizer syndicate that was dismantled by the Singapore Police Force (SPF) earlier this month.
The men, aged 29 and 37, were arrested between October 19 and October 23 and are believed to have played key roles in the operation — one as a warehouse manager and the other as an area distributor. Police investigations suggest the syndicate was involved in importing e-vaporizers from Malaysia and distributing them to local buyers.
With their arrests, a total of 14 suspected members linked to the syndicate have now been taken into custody and charged in court. Four of them face one count each of abetment by conspiracy to possess e-vaporizers for sale, under Section 16(1)(b) of the Tobacco (Control of Advertisement and Sale) Act 1993 read with Section 109 of the Penal Code 1871. The remaining suspects were charged under the same section of the Tobacco Act for possessing e-vaporizers for sale.
In consultation with the Attorney-General's Chambers, all 14 suspects will each face an additional charge under Section 5(1) of the Organized Crime Act 2015 for their alleged involvement in a locally-linked organized criminal group. They are expected to return to court on October 30 and October 31.
If convicted, each could face a fine of up to S$100,000, a jail term of up to five years, or both.
Three of the accused will also face additional charges under Section 10(1)(b) of the same Act for allegedly allowing premises under their control to be used for the syndicate's e-vaporizer distribution operations. They could be fined up to S$250,000, jailed for up to five years, or both if found guilty.
The police reminded the public that it is illegal to import, distribute or sell e-vaporizers and related components in Singapore. Under the Tobacco (Control of Advertisements and Sale) Act, first-time offenders may be fined up to S$10,000, jailed up to six months, or both. Repeat offenders face fines of up to S$20,000, jail terms of up to 12 months, or both.
