KUALA LUMPUR: Singaporean authorities have seized over 1,000 vape devices hidden in a Malaysia-registered car at the Woodlands Checkpoint, the latest in a series of large-scale smuggling attempts.
The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) said officers found 1,169 vape devices concealed in a modified rear seat of the car during a check on Wednesday.
The case was referred to the Health Sciences Authority for further investigation, the ICA said in a Facebook post.
The seizure is part of Singapore’s intensified efforts to curb vaping. On Sept 1, the country implemented tougher laws against vaping, including higher fines for possession and use.
Foreign nationals caught with vapes may face confiscation, fines, deportation, and entry bans.
The latest seizure followed a separate, larger bust on Monday, where the ICA uncovered more than 18,400 vape devices and 1,400 related components in a Malaysia-registered lorry’s cargo.
Singapore’s clampdown on vaping has led to the Causeway becoming a dumping ground for vape devices, as motorists discard e-cigarettes before crossing into the island republic.
© New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd
