Vape importer pleads guilty over attempts to retrieve S$6.6 million stash seized by HSA, other charges

The seized e-vaporisers and tobacco-related products were kept in custody at the warehouse the offender had rented because the quantity was so large that HSA officers were unable to transport all the stash to their headquarters.

A view of the entrance to the State Courts building in Singapore. (Photo: CNA/Ooi Boon Keong)

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SINGAPORE: A man who was importing illegal electronic vaporisers and tobacco-related products into Singapore rented a warehouse to store his stash worth more than S$6.6 million (US$5.2 million).

But after officers from the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) raided the warehouse and seized the items, he enlisted others to conduct surveillance and attempt to retrieve the seized goods.

Chua Wee Ming, 35, pleaded guilty on Tuesday (Oct 13) to nine charges, which included attempting to commit housebreaking in order to commit theft on two occasions. In one, he conspired with someone to commit housebreaking, and in the other, he instigated another person to do so.

Both attempts were unsuccessful.

Chua also pleaded guilty to possessing items resembling tobacco products for the purpose of sale and obstructing the course of justice. Twelve other charges were taken into consideration.

The court heard that Chua, a Malaysian, was in the business of selling e-vaporisers and tobacco-related products.

Sometime before Mar 19, 2024, he arranged to import 653,868 items including disposable vapes and vape box sets into Singapore from Malaysia, according to court documents. The items had a total street value of S$6.628 million as determined by HSA.

A box set includes a single vape, one or two pods – unless otherwise specified – and a charging cable.

Chua rented a warehouse unit at 190 Woodlands Industrial Park E5 to store the items. On Mar 19, 2024, HSA officers raided the warehouse and seized the items.

The officers were unable to transport all the items back to the HSA headquarters or store, given the large quantity and decided to keep the items in custody at the unit. Officers were arranged to guard the premises in shifts.

Chua, who wanted to get his items back, contacted Chee Wai Yuen, who is also Malaysian, sometime around Mar 23, 2024.

He asked Chee to climb into the unit and retrieve the items for him, promising to pay the latter RM50,000 (US$12,234) for the job. He assured Chee that he would arrange to smuggle him out of Singapore if anything happened.

But Chee refused to help as he was scared, but said he could conduct surveillance on the unit instead to check for any HSA personnel so Chua or other people could break in. Chua agreed.

Sometime after 10pm on Mar 23, 2024, Chee drove to the warehouse and parked his car before going up to the ninth floor, where the unit was located at.

He was spotted by three HSA officers who asked why he was there. He tried to leave the warehouse but was stopped by HSA officers and later arrested.

Chua then decided to make another attempt. About two days later, he contacted another person, and asked for his help to enter the warehouse.

He told the man to climb down from the 10th floor to the unit a floor below and steal the seized items. Chua promised to pay him S$20,000, who agreed and sought help from his friend.

The man and his friend went to the warehouse around 3.30pm on Mar 26, 2024. Their plan was to conduct surveillance and collect information so they could break in and retrieve the items later that night.

As they headed to the ninth floor, they ran into an HSA officer. While trying to escape, they were stopped by other HSA officers and were eventually arrested.

ARRANGING FOR CHEE TO LEAVE SINGAPORE

Chee was charged in court on Mar 28, 2024 and later released on court bail, with his passport impounded as part of bail conditions.

He contacted Chua who told him to wait for someone to contact him. Chua then arranged for a lorry driver to pick Chee up and smuggle him into Malaysia.

In the evening of Apr 4, 2024, Chee was instructed by an unidentified person via WhatsApp to go to a location in Tuas belonging to a wood supplier the next morning.

Chee went and looked for a yellow lorry as he was instructed. The lorry was driven by Thanesh Murugan, whom Chua had arranged.

Chee hid behind the driver's seat as Thanesh drove the lorry to Malaysia via Tuas Checkpoint.

Chee was later arrested in October 2024 in Malaysia and extradited to Singapore. He was sentenced to one year, one month and six weeks' jail in July last year.

Thanesh had also been charged over his alleged involvement.

Chua was arrested in September 2024 and released on bail later that month. He was nabbed again in October that year and has been in remand since.

His sentencing has been adjourned to December.

For possessing items resembling tobacco products for the purpose of sale, Chua could be jailed for up to six months, fined up to S$10,000, or both.

A person who commits housebreaking in order to commit any offence may be jailed for up to 10 years and fined.

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由于缴获的电子烟和烟草相关产品数量巨大，卫生安全局官员无法将所有毒品运回总部，因此这些毒品被保管在罪犯租用的仓库中。

新加坡国家法院大楼入口处景象。（图片：CNA/Ooi Boon Keong）

这段音频由人工智能工具生成。

新加坡：一名男子向新加坡走私非法电子烟和烟草相关产品，他租了一个仓库来存放价值超过 660 万新元（520 万美元）的毒品。

但卫生科学局 (HSA) 的官员突袭了仓库并查获了这些物品后，他招募了其他人进行监视，并试图追回被查获的货物。

35岁的蔡伟明（Chua Wee Ming）于周二（10月13日）对九项指控认罪，其中包括两次入室盗窃未遂。其中一次，他与他人合谋入室盗窃；另一次，他唆使他人实施入室盗窃。

两次尝试均告失败。

蔡某还承认持有类似烟草制品的物品意图贩卖以及妨碍司法公正。另有十二项指控被纳入考虑范围。

法庭获悉，蔡某是马来西亚人，从事电子烟和烟草相关产品的销售业务。

根据法庭文件，在2024年3月19日之前，他安排从马来西亚进口了653,868件物品到新加坡，其中包括一次性电子烟和电子烟套装。新加坡卫生科学局（HSA）认定，这些物品的总市值达662.8万新元。

套装包含一个电子烟、一个或两个烟弹（除非另有说明）以及一根充电线。

蔡某在兀兰工业园E5区190号租用了一个仓库单元来存放这些物品。2024年3月19日，卫生科学局官员突击搜查了该仓库并查获了这些物品。

由于数量庞大，警员无法将所有物品运回卫生安全局总部或仓库，因此决定将物品暂时保管在该单位。警员被安排轮班守卫该场所。

蔡先生想拿回自己的物品，于是在 2024 年 3 月 23 日左右联系了同样是马来西亚人的 Chee Wai Yuen。

他让Chee爬进房间帮他取回物品，并承诺支付Chee 5万令吉（约合12234美元）作为报酬。他还向Chee保证，如果发生任何意外，他会安排人把他偷渡出新加坡。

但谢先生因为害怕拒绝帮忙，但他表示可以监视这栋楼，看看有没有卫生局人员，这样蔡先生或其他人就可以破门而入。蔡先生同意了。

2024 年 3 月 23 日晚上 10 点过后，Chee 开车来到仓库，停好车后上到九楼，他的单元就在那里。

他被三名卫生安全局官员发现，并被询问为何出现在那里。他试图离开仓库，但被卫生安全局官员拦下，随后被逮捕。

蔡先生随后决定再试一次。大约两天后，他联系了另一个人，请求他帮忙进入仓库。

他命令那名男子从10楼爬到楼下一层，偷走被查获的物品。蔡某承诺支付他2万新元，那名男子同意了，并向他的朋友寻求帮助。

2024年3月26日下午3点30分左右，该男子和他的朋友来到仓库。他们的计划是进行监视并收集信息，以便当晚晚些时候闯入仓库取回物品。

他们前往九楼的途中，遇到了一名卫生安全局（HSA）的官员。在试图逃跑的过程中，他们被其他卫生安全局官员拦下，最终被逮捕。

安排 Chee 离开新加坡

Chee于2024年3月28日在法庭上被起诉，后来获得法庭保释，其护照作为保释条件的一部分被扣押。

他联系了蔡先生，蔡先生让他等别人联系他。之后，蔡先生安排了一名货车司机接走谢先生，并将他偷渡到马来西亚。

2024年4月4日晚上，Chee通过WhatsApp接到一名身份不明人士的指示，要求他第二天早上前往位于大士的一家木材供应商的地点。

按照指示，Chee去找了一辆黄色货车。货车司机是Thanesh Murugan，是Chua安排的。

当 Thanesh 驾驶卡车经大士关卡前往马来西亚时，Chee 躲在驾驶座后面。

Chee于2024年10月在马来西亚被捕，并被引渡到新加坡。去年7月，他被判处一年零一个月零六周的监禁。

塔内什也因涉嫌参与其中而被起诉。

蔡某于2024年9月被捕，当月晚些时候获准保释。同年10月他再次被捕，此后一直被羁押。

他的量刑听证会已延期至12月举行。

蔡某因持有类似烟草制品的物品意图出售，可被判处最高六个月监禁、最高罚款 10,000 新元，或两者并罚。

为实施任何犯罪而入室盗窃的人，最高可判处 10 年监禁并处罚金。

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