A Singaporean man was instructed by an importer of illegal electronic atomizers to monitor a large quantity of vapes seized by the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) to steal evidence and pervert the course of justice. He was subsequently sentenced to one year, one month and six weeks’ imprisonment for drug possession, drug abuse and illegal exit.
Core Watch:
- Man hired to spy on seized e-cigarette warehouse with intent to aid in theft
- Possessed drugs in the car when seized, fled Malaysia after bail and was extradited to Singapore
- Sentenced on multiple counts involving vapes value of more than SGD6.5 million (about US$5.07 million)
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A man was commissioned by an illegal electronic atomizer importer to conduct surveillance on a stash of drugs worth more than S$6 million (about US$4.7 million) seized by Singapore’s Health Sciences Authority (HSA), the CNA reported on July 7th.
Chee Wai Yuen, a 36-year-old man, was sentenced to one year, one month and six weeks’ imprisonment on July 7, 2024 for his involvement in several crimes. He pleaded guilty to five charges, including drug trafficking, perverting the course of justice and leaving the country illegally, with four other charges pending.
In March 2024, Chee was instructed by Chua Wee Ming to go to the court’s confidential warehouse to spy on e-cigarettes and accessories stored by HSA – the items involved were more than 180,000 e-cigarettes and 350,000 components, with a black-market value of about S$6.5 million. Chua intended to arrange for him or someone else to steal the goods as future prosecution goods as evidence in a future prosecution.
Sentenced on multiple counts involving vape value
Chee was spotted by HSA officers while on surveillance and was stopped when he lied about going to the wrong place to leave. police found drug-related items containing ketamine in his car and detected methamphetamine in his urine. He admitted to taking drugs and using paraphernalia in the car to smoke the drugs. He was subsequently charged in court and released on bail, with his passport impounded.
In April, Chee fled to Malaysia in a truck under Chua’s previous arrangement and was wanted for failing to appear in court, but was eventually arrested in Malaysia in October and extradited to Singapore.
The prosecution emphasized the large number of cases involved, but the impact on the administration of justice was limited by the fact that no actual thefts had been committed and insufficient surveillance preparations had been made.
