Organized network imported vapes from Malaysia and distributed hundreds of orders across Singapore daily.
A Singaporean man has been jailed and fined for his role in a sophisticated vape syndicate that stored tens of thousands of illegal vaping products in warehouses across northern Singapore. The case has exposed how the network used Malaysian supplies, rented properties, encrypted messaging platforms, and a tiered delivery system to serve customers across the island.
Syndicate Member Sentenced
Singaporean Roy Tan Jun Jie, 34, was sentenced over his involvement in an organized criminal group that distributed illegal electronic vaporisers and related components. Tan had earlier pleaded guilty to being a member of a locally linked organized criminal group and possessing imitation tobacco products for sale. Tan joined the operation in October 2024 as an area distributor, using the alias “V.” He was assigned delivery areas with postal codes beginning with 3 and 4 and used his own vehicle to distribute orders. He earned between S$3,000 and S$4,000 monthly, estimating his total earnings from the operation at about S$45,000.
More Than 57,000 Vape Items Seized
Authorities dismantled the operation on October 16, 2025, with raids uncovering more than 57,000 vapes and related components stored at two locations. The network had used facilities in Lentor and Canberra after previously operating from Mandai Road.
Orders Coordinated Through Messaging Apps
Members used Telegram and WhatsApp to coordinate inventories and deliveries while operating under pseudonyms. At the top of the network was an individual known as “Nobody,” who was purportedly based in Malaysia and provided instructions to the local leaders.
Tan Estimated to Have Delivered Over 10,000 Items
Prosecutors estimated that Tan personally delivered more than 10,000 vapes or related components during roughly a year with the syndicate. He received S$10 for each successful delivery and also promoted products to friends in exchange for commissions.
Singapore Intensifies Vape Enforcement
The prosecution described vaping as a continuing public health concern in Singapore. The number of people caught possessing or using vapes increased from 1,266 in 2020 to 9,680 during the first nine months of 2025. Another 2,589 people were caught during the first three months of 2026 alone.
The case demonstrates how Singapore’s illegal vape trade has developed into organized networks using warehouses, digital communications, structured delivery teams, and cross-border supply chains. For Singaporeans, dismantling such networks is increasingly tied to both public health and organized-crime enforcement. For Indonesians and Malaysians, the syndicate’s regional connections underline the need for stronger cross-border cooperation as authorities confront illegal and potentially drug-laced vaping products moving through Southeast Asia.
Sources: Straits Times (2026) , CNA (2026)
Keywords: Singapore Vape Syndicate, Illegal Vapes, Malaysia Vape Supply, Lentor Warehouse, Sembawang, Vape Distribution
