A Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) regular serviceman was stopped by police officers at a car park in Sembawang during an operation on Mar. 28, 2023.
The man attempted to escape from the police to conceal his moonlighting as a part-time delivery driver.
His escape attempt was foiled by police officers stationed at the car park exit, and he was arrested and found with over 200 e-vaporisers.
The man was sentenced to jail on Oct. 23, 2023.
Six detained for suspected involvement in e-vaporiser illegal trade
Mothership previously reported that the incident happened at a multi-storey car park at Block 592 Montreal Link in Sembawang.
Police officers were responding to a call for assistance at that location Mar. 28, 2023 evening.
They found a van driver allegedly distributing parcels containing e-vaporisers to five persons, purportedly assisting in the delivery to buyers.
All six individuals were eventually detained for their suspected involvement in the illegal trade of e-vaporisers.
Image from Zaobao website.
Attempted to escape
Shin Min Daily News identified one of the individuals as 27-year-old Lim Guo Jie in its Oct. 24, 2023 report.
Lim was an RSAF regular but also worked part-time as a delivery driver.
He was at the car park collecting some goods to be delivered when he was alerted that there were police officers at the scene.
He stashed the goods into his vehicle and attempted to get away but was stopped by an officer, who told him to get out of the car.
Lim initially alighted from the vehicle but returned and drove away when two passing motorcycles caught the officer's attention.
He reversed the car up from the fifth to the sixth storey but returned to where the officer stood waiting after he saw that the exit was blocked by a police vehicle.
Arrested at scene
The officer told Lim to get out of the car once more and reached for the vehicle's passenger door, but Lim sped off.
However, his escape attempt was foiled by more police officers stationed at the exit on the first storey of the car park.
Lim surrendered and was arrested at the scene. Five others were also arrested.
The police officers found over 200 e-vaporisers and related components in boxes at the scene.
Image from Zaobao website.
He told police officers he was merely a delivery person and did not know what was in the packages.
He was charged with one count of a rash act endangering the life or the personal safety of others.
Did delivery part-time due to financial difficulties
Lim pleaded guilty to the charge on Oct. 23, 2023.
Arguing that Lim's behaviour during the incident could have injured the police officers, the prosecution sought a four to five weeks jail term and Lim's licence to be suspended for 12 months.
During mitigation, Lim claimed he attempted to escape as he did not want the authorities to find out he was moonlighting.
He also claimed he was moonlighting as he had encountered financial difficulties.
He pleaded for the judge not to sentence him to jail, as he would then be dismissed from the air force and would not be able to support his family without a job.
Lim was ultimately sentenced to three weeks in jail, and his licence was suspended for 12 months.
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Top image from via Shin Min Daily News
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