Three men allegedly tried to break into a Woodlands warehouse unit to steal e-vaporisers and other vaping-related items seized by the Health Sciences Authority (HSA).

Elvin Suriaganandhan, 22, Chee Wai Yuen, 35, and Lim Zhi Wei, 38, were each slapped with a housebreaking charge on March 28.

The location of the warehouse cannot be disclosed due to a gag order.

The police and HSA revealed details of the alleged break-in attempts in a joint statement on March 27.

What happened

On March 23, Chee, a Malaysian, allegedly engaged in a conspiracy with a person known as "Ming" to break into the warehouse.

Chee is accused of conducting checks at the warehouse in order for him and his other alleged accomplices to enter one of the units to steal items, such as e-vaporisers and other components.

He was detained on March 23.

This was after he was found loitering near the warehouse unit containing the seized items.

He had allegedly obtained various equipment such as harnesses and ropes, to carry out the plan to remove the items seized by HSA from the warehouse unit and was involved in the plan's discussion.

Police officers later arrested him for undisclosed drug-related offences.

Ming's details were not disclosed, The Straits Times reported.

Two other men involved

Three days later, two Singaporeans, Elvin and Lim, allegedly also conspired with "Ming" to remove the seized items.

HSA officers spotted the duo loitering near the warehouse to "survey the unit" and the police were informed.

The two men were arrested soon after.

It was also revealed that the older man Lim was allegedly offered a sum of money to remove the seized items from the warehouse unit and recruited Elvin for that purpose.

The trio’s cases have been adjourned to April.

Those charged for housebreaking can be jailed for up to 10 years and fined.

Top photos via Singapore Police Force & Unsplash