A 21-year-old Malaysian man was sentenced to more than nine months' jail after Health Sciences Authority (HSA) officers uncovered tens of thousands of vaporisers and related components in two Singapore warehouses linked to a suspected syndicate.
Chong Jun Keong was sentenced on Tuesday, January 6, to 41 weeks' imprisonment after pleading guilty to two counts of possessing imitation tobacco products for sale. Another two similar charges were taken into consideration during sentencing.
The court heard that HSA officers launched investigations after receiving a tip-off about a warehouse in Bishan. During a stakeout, officers found Chong at a warehouse along Jalan Pemimpin. Checks of his mobile phone later led officers to a second warehouse in Ubi, where further large quantities of vapes and components were stored.
Chong had been working as a sales assistant at a handphone shop in Bukit Indah, Johor Bahru, which also sold vape products and accessories. He earned about RM6,000 (S$1,898) a month.
In April 2025, a customer known to him as "John" offered him S$100 a day to work in Singapore as a vape packer. Needing additional income to cope with rising living costs, Chong accepted the offer.
He began work around May 8, 2025, packing vape orders twice a week at the Jalan Pemimpin warehouse. Chong was given keys to the warehouse and later to a second site in Ubi, which started operations in June 2025. At the first warehouse, he packed about 80 to 90 parcels a day, following instructions sent by John through a mobile application on a phone provided at the site.
Delivery drivers collected the parcels daily, after which Chong would lock up the warehouse and return to Malaysia. Investigations revealed that three delivery drivers were involved, two believed to be Malaysian and one Singaporean. The Malaysian drivers would also occasionally deliver fresh stock of vapes and components to Chong.
Chong told investigators that his work schedule was sent to him monthly and that he was instructed to memorise and delete the messages. He believed the Jalan Pemimpin operation had been running for about eight months before it was raided.
On July 11, 2025, HSA officers conducted an enforcement operation at the Jalan Pemimpin warehouse and detained Chong as he exited the building. Inside, officers seized 17,955 vaporisers and 29,522 vape components. Using information from Chong's phone and keys found in his vehicle, officers located and searched the Ubi warehouse, where they found another 5,564 vapes and 13,412 components.
In total, Chong was found to be in possession of about 35,000 vaporisers and related components intended for sale. The prosecution highlighted the scale of the seizure and said the evidence pointed to a coordinated, syndicate-led operation.
Chong, who was unrepresented in court, said through a Mandarin interpreter that he had spent the past six months in Singapore because of the case, had no income during that period, and relied on family support from Malaysia. The judge noted the need for deterrence, given the scale of the offence.
Under the law, each charge of possessing imitation tobacco products for sale carries a penalty of up to six months' jail, a fine of up to S$10,000, or both.
