Charge against ex-enforcement officer accused of seeking bribes from vape dealer withdrawn

The Singaporean was accused of committing the offence in 2024 in exchange for providing Chua with exclusive information about HSA raids involving vape products.

ST PHOTO: KELVIN CHNG

Published Oct 28, 2026, 02:40 PM

Updated Oct 28, 2026, 02:40 PM

Former enforcement supervisor Michael Anthony Pillay had been accused of trying to obtain $8,000 in bribes from Chua Wee Ming who dealt with vape products.

Pillay's graft charge was withdrawn on Oct 26, and he was granted a discharge amounting to an acquittal.

Chua had pleaded guilty to vape-related charges, and he will be sentenced in December.

SINGAPORE – A former chief enforcement supervisor at a company, who was accused of trying to obtain $8,000 in bribes from a man dealing with vape products, has had his graft charge withdrawn.

Michael Anthony Pillay, 35, used to work for WSH Experts, which carried out enforcement duties for the Health Sciences Authority (HSA). He was charged in 2025 with trying to obtain the money from Chua Wee Ming, also 35.

Responding to queries from The Straits Times, a spokesperson for the Attorney-General’s Chambers said: “After careful consideration of the facts and circumstances of the matter, the prosecution applied for a withdrawal of the charge against Pillay on (Oct 26). This was granted by the court on the same day.”

Pillay was then granted a discharge amounting to an acquittal, which means he cannot be charged again with the same offence.

Through his lawyer Raphael Louis, Pillay said: “I have maintained my innocence from the very beginning. This has been a difficult and stressful period for me and my family. I am thankful that I can finally put this matter behind me and move forward with my life.

“(Raphael) and team have helped me throughout this journey, and they have my deepest gratitude.”

Louis, of Ray Louis Law, told ST that he was pleased the matter had concluded, adding: “I welcome the prosecution’s decision to discontinue the proceedings and the court’s grant of a discharge amounting to an acquittal.”

Separately, Chua, who is a Malaysian, was convicted on Oct 13 of vape-related charges.

Before March 19, 2024, he arranged for the import of items such as disposable vaporisers and loose pods from Malaysia to Singapore.

These goods were worth more than $6.6 million in total, and he will be sentenced in December.

Shaffiq Alkhatib is The Straits Times’ court correspondent, covering mainly criminal cases heard at the State Courts.

这名新加坡人被指控在 2024 年犯下该罪行，以换取向蔡某提供有关新加坡卫生科学局 (HSA) 突击检查电子烟产品的独家信息。

《海峡时报》摄影：KELVIN CHNG

发布于2026年10月28日下午2:40

更新于2026年10月28日下午2:40

前执法主管迈克尔·安东尼·皮莱被指控试图从电子烟产品经销商蔡伟明那里索取 8000 美元的贿赂。

10月26日，皮莱的贪污指控被撤销，他被宣告无罪释放。

蔡某已承认与电子烟相关的指控，他将于12月被判刑。

新加坡——一家公司的前首席执法主管被指控试图从一名电子烟产品经销商那里索取 8000 美元的贿赂，但他的贪污指控已被撤销。

35岁的迈克尔·安东尼·皮莱曾就职于WSH Experts公司，该公司为新加坡卫生科学局（HSA）执行执法任务。他于2025年被控试图从同样35岁的蔡伟明处骗取钱财。

针对《海峡时报》的询问，总检察署发言人表示：“在仔细考虑了案件的事实和情况后，检方于（10月26日）申请撤销对皮莱的指控。法院于当日批准了该申请。”

随后，皮莱被无罪释放，这意味着他不能再因同样的罪行被起诉。

皮莱通过他的律师拉斐尔·路易斯表示：“我从一开始就坚称自己无罪。这段时间对我以及我的家人来说都非常艰难和痛苦。我很庆幸终于可以放下这件事，继续我的生活。”

“（拉斐尔）和他的团队在这段旅程中给予了我莫大的帮助，我由衷地感谢他们。”

Ray Louis Law 律师事务所的 Louis 告诉《海峡时报》，他对此事的结束感到高兴，并补充说：“我欢迎检方决定终止诉讼程序，以及法院准予无罪释放的决定。”

此外，马来西亚籍的蔡某于 10 月 13 日被判犯有与电子烟相关的罪行。

在 2024 年 3 月 19 日之前，他安排从马来西亚进口一次性电子烟和散装烟弹等物品到新加坡。

这些货物总价值超过 660 万美元，他将于 12 月被判刑。

沙菲克·阿尔哈提卜是《海峡时报》的法庭记者，主要报道国家法院审理的刑事案件。