How a warehouse burglary exposed an alleged $470,000 vape syndicate in Singapore
What began as a routine burglary report at a Sembawang warehouse has uncovered what authorities allege is one of Singapore’s largest illegal vape syndicates, involving hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of contraband.
Court documents reveal that Malaysian national Chua Wee Ming, 34, was identified as a suspected ringleader after police discovered that the warehouse break-in, initially reported as a theft of IT gadgets, had in fact involved the loss of $470,000 worth of e-vaporisers, Strait Times reports.
The warehouse was rented by Lim Zhi Wei, who told police in 2022 that electronics had been stolen. Investigators later uncovered that the unit had been storing large quantities of vapes imported from Malaysia. Lim admitted to packing, delivering, and selling the products locally and was eventually fined $8,500.
The probe into the burglary led to Chua’s name surfacing. Authorities allege he directed others to rent storage units, coordinated shipments across the border, and oversaw distribution in Singapore.
Chua was arrested during an islandwide operation on October 10, 2024, carried out jointly by the Singapore Police Force and the Health Sciences Authority (HSA). He has since been held in remand for nearly a year while facing a series of charges, including cheating and attempting to obstruct the course of justice.
The police and HSA issued a joint statement describing him as a “key syndicate figure” in the illegal trade.
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
