Key Points
- 59 large-scale vape smuggling cases detected in 2025
- About 230,000 vapes and accessories seized in 2025 by HSA and ICA
- 10,000+ online vape sale ads removed over the past two years
- ~99% of takedowns linked to overseas posts (Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, WeChat, YouTube, Telegram)
- Remaining listings appeared on local platforms such as Carousell and Lazada
2Firsts, Feb. 4, 2026
According to The Straits Times, Singapore’s Minister of State for Health Rahayu Mahzam said in Parliament that a total of 59 large-scale vape smuggling cases were detected in 2025. The cases were uncovered by the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) and the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA), which seized about 230,000 vapes and accessories last year.
Mahzam added that HSA works with e-commerce, social media and messaging platforms to remove online listings that sell vapes.
More than 10,000 such advertisements were taken down over the past two years, with about 99% linked to overseas platform posts on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, WeChat, YouTube and Telegram. The remainder were hosted on local platforms such as Carousell and Lazada.
She said enforcement is conducted on a sustained, daily cadence. This includes using bots to scan commercial sites and flag vape listings for takedown, as well as acting on tip-offs from members of the public and partner agencies.
After offending listings are removed, HSA works with the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) and the Singapore Police Force’s Online Criminal Harms Act Office to block specific vape commercial sites.
Mahzam said the approach is multi-pronged, combining enforcement with public education and encouraging the public to identify and report illicit online vape sales.
Image source: ST FILE
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