A 36-year-old Harvey Norman staff stored and sold electronic vaporisers and associated pods from the outlet he was working at in West Mall shopping centre.

The man, Marcus Chen Jun Ming, was arrested and subsequently admitted that he had earned about S$10,000 from selling those imitation tobacco items.

He was fined S$13,700 on Nov. 23, 2023.

Sold vapes to students

The Health Sciences Authority (HSA) launched a covert operation on Jan. 20, 2023 to catch Chen storing and peddling e-vaporisers, or vapes, from the West Mall Harvey Norman store after receiving a tip-off about the sale of vapes to students in that area.

Chen was arrested on the scene, where 75 boxes containing three pods each and 110 vapes were found at the store.

Some of the pods were in his locker.

Found with more than S$11,000 worth of vapes

HSA officers searched his home in Tampines at about 8pm on the same day and found 251 boxes of pods and 409 vapes.

A total of more than 400 e-vaporisers and 350 components, with a combined street value of more than S$11,000, were seized from the two locations.

Fined S$13,700

Chen admitted to owning all the items, CNA reported.

He claimed that some were for his personal use, apart from those that he sold and earned around S$10,000 for.

On Nov. 23, 2023, Chen was fined S$13,700.

Those convicted of importing, distributing, selling or offering to sell imitation tobacco products face a fine of up to S$10,000, up to six months in prison, or both for their first offence.

Those convicted of a second or subsequent offence face a fine of up to S$20,000, up to 12 months in prison, or both.

It is also an offence to purchase, use and possess such products, with each offence punishable by a fine of up to S$2,000. Any prohibited tobacco items will also be seized and confiscated.

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Top image from Health Sciences Authority