SINGAPORE: It was barely sunrise on Sep 15 when officers at Tuas Checkpoint made a discovery that would set a new record. Tucked away in a Malaysia-registered lorry were not just boxes of “components for motorised external roll-up blinds,” as declared, but a jaw-dropping 18,400 e-vaporisers and 1,400 related parts.
To put that in perspective, that is enough to fill the bags of thousands of people walking across the Causeway. It was also the biggest stash of its kind since Singapore tightened its laws on vaping just two weeks earlier.
The lorry had been picked up by ICA’s Integrated Targeting Centre, which profiles vehicles before they even arrive. Once officers rolled up their sleeves for enhanced checks, the attempt at concealment was quickly exposed. A Malaysian man was arrested, and the case has since been handed to the Health Sciences Authority.
More than just another bust
For ICA, this was more than another smuggling case. It came hot on the heels of Sep 1 when Singapore’s tougher penalties on e-vaporisers kicked in. The message from authorities has been clear: vaping has no place in Singapore, and smugglers will find no safe passage at its borders.
What makes this find significant is not just the scale. If the haul had slipped through, it could have fuelled a booming black market and undermined years of effort to keep e-vaporisers out of the hands of youth, the group most drawn to them. In short, it was not just boxes of gadgets that officers intercepted. They may have stopped a wave of social and health problems before it even began.
Read related: Smoking hot tomato soup: ICA seizes 2,400 cartons of duty-unpaid cigarettes hidden in lorry load
Netizens weigh in
As the news broke, Singaporeans were quick to share their thoughts online. Many praised ICA’s vigilance. “Good job, ICA,” one wrote simply, reflecting the relief that officers remain one step ahead.
Others pushed for harder measures. “We need the harshest sentences for the first few,” one comment read, suggesting that only a firm example will discourage future smugglers. Another commenter chimed in: “Government needs to pump more funds for local enforcement officers to help prevent more problems,” a reminder that this is an ongoing cat-and-mouse game that requires resources and manpower.
Others on social media also questioned the driver’s involvement, commenting: “I wonder if the driver knows what they’re carrying.” This question highlights whether those caught are masterminds or just pawns in a larger operation.
Together, the comments show not only support for ICA but also how deeply Singaporeans care about the vaping issue, from its health impact to the strain it places on enforcement officers.
Read related: ICA foils two e-vaporiser smuggling attempts at Changi Airport T4 in a single day
Why this matters for everyone
For most Singaporeans, checkpoints are just places we pass through on the way to Johor Bahru or back home with bags of groceries. For ICA, they are the first and last line of defence. This case is a sharp reminder that what happens at the border affects life inside the country.
Stopping almost 20,000 e-vaporisers at the gate is not just a win for enforcement. It is a win for parents worried about their teens, for teachers battling peer pressure in schools, and for a society that has long prided itself on being clean, disciplined, and safe.
As ICA put it, they are “guardians of the nation’s borders.” With hauls this big, it is clear they are not just catching smugglers. They are protecting communities.
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