JB vape shop says stock still available for delivery in S'pore, sale continues despite harsher penalties

There is apparently no stopping vape peddlers across the Causeway from operating.

One vape shop in Johor Bahru, Malaysia, which advertises cross-border vape deliveries to Singapore, appeared undeterred, despite the ramped-up campaign by the Singapore government against the habit, checks by Mothership showed.

'Stocks still available in S'pore'

The JB vape store, which advertises "JB delivery/ SG delivery" services with a listed a contact number on its window, will carry on with vape deliveries.

In response to customer's queries, the shopkeeper said they will still provide the sale of vapes in Singapore, as it acknowledged that enforcement actions will only get stricter.

From Sep. 1, stiffer penalties against vapes and etomidate-laced vapes will come into effect in Singapore as part of the government's campaign against vaping.

Leading up to this, government agencies such as the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) have been clamping down on vape smuggling with enhanced checks.

Ironically, the shop selling vapes has a "no smoking" sign prominently displayed.

No sharp jump in prices

Prices for vapes are currently still the same, the shopkeeper shared.

He also revealed that deliveries across the border will be honoured as there are ready stocks available in Singapore and orders can be placed directly with them via WhatsApp or Telegram.

Once the order is placed by the buyer, the shipment will be delivered swiftly.

Same-day deliveries are possible if the order is placed before 3pm, he noted.

However, when asked about Kpods, the shopkeeper drew a line, saying that they "ruin lives" and are outlawed as illegal drugs.

Vapes, on the other hand, are legal in Malaysia and, so, he sees no issue with its consumption.

When it was pointed out that vapes are illegal in Singapore, the shopkeeper laughed and said: "What to do? I have to earn money."

He did not elaborate how the vapes make the journey across borders if they are classified as illegal in Singapore.

Tougher border checks, new penalties for foreigners

A new suite of penalties, including fines and deportation, will apply to foreigners in Singapore who are caught with vapes or Kpods, starting from Sep. 1.

Between April and June 2025, 19 large-scale smuggling attempts were detected and over 90,000 vapes and related products were seized at Singapore's borders.

Offenders involved in the importation of prohibited tobacco products into Singapore face fines and transport companies and drivers face possible prosecution, according to the Health Sciences Authority.

Foreigners convicted of offences in Singapore will be deported after serving their sentences and barred from re-entering Singapore.

In Singapore, first time offenders convicted of selling, offering for sale, possessing for sale, importing or distributing e-vaporisers, is liable to a fine not exceeding S$10,000 or imprisonment for up to six months.

Repeat offenders face a fine not exceeding S$20,000 or imprisonment for up to 12 months or both.

In the press conference announcing new penalties against vapes, Minister for Health Ong Ye Kung shared that he had been exchanging notes with his regional counterparts and that it was fortunate for Singapore to have banned vapes from the outset.

"Several of them did not ban vapes from the outset, and today, with etomidate vapes, they find that they are in a very difficult position," Ong said.

During a Malaysia parliamentary session, the country's health minister Dzulkefly Ahmad said a detailed report on banning e-cigarettes and vapes is being finalised.

"It is no longer a question of if we ban, but when we ban," Dzulkefly told Malaysia's parliament, as quoted by Malay Mail.

Malay Mail also reported that some states in Malaysia, such as Perak, have begun taking steps to block the issuance of vape sales licences.

However, a total ban by the Malaysian government has received pushback, including from opposition politicians and vape sellers.

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Top image via Google Maps, Mothership