M'sian man, 25, buys cigarettes for S$6 in JB, sells them for S$8 in S'pore, does the same with vapes, gets 14 weeks' jail

A man, who commuted between Johor Bahru and Singapore regularly, smuggled vapes and cigarettes into Singapore to sell to his friends for additional income.

However, he was caught red-handed at Woodlands Checkpoint during a check by officers on Aug. 24, 2025.

Choo Yi Long, 25, pleaded guilty to one count of importing an imitation tobacco product and one of smuggling duty-unpaid cigarettes.

He was sentenced to 14 weeks’ jail and fined S$3,000 on Jan. 7, reported Shin Min Daily News.

Commuted to Singapore daily

Choo, a Malaysian, worked in Singapore and would commute between Johor Bahru and Singapore daily.

His friends began asking him to buy cigarettes from Malaysia for them as he crossed the border daily.

He then decided to sell the cigarettes he bought from shops near the Malaysia checkpoint to his friends as a side hustle.

Choo sold the cigarettes to his friends at S$8 a packet, earning a profit of S$2 a packet.

He also purchased disposable vapes from a supplier at KSL City Mall and sold them in Singapore for about S$9.50 each.

Caught

Choo was caught on Aug. 24, 2025, during a check by officers at the Woodlands Checkpoint.

They found 171 packets of cigarettes in his bag, 20 packets in his jacket and another nine packets in his motorcycle.

The total weight of the cigarettes came up to 3.3kg, and amounted to S$1,964 in evaded tax.

Additionally, 10 disposable vapes were also found on him.

For importing an imitation tobacco product, he could have been jailed for up to six months, fined up to S$10,000, or both.

Offenders who smuggle duty-unpaid cigarettes into Singapore can be fined at least 15 times the evaded Customs duty, jailed for up to three years, or both.

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