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Syndicates hiring young people in Johor to smuggle vapes into Singapore
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Haz (not his real name), a man in his early 20s from Johor Bahru, was caught at Woodlands Checkpoint for smuggling vapes into Singapore.
Haz (not his real name) from Johor Bahru, who is in his early 20s, was caught at Woodlands Checkpoint for allegedly trying to smuggle vapes into Singapore.
ST PHOTO: HARITH MUSTAFFA
avatar-alt
Published Sep 15, 2025, 05:00 AM
Updated Sep 15, 2025, 05:00 AM
SINGAPORE - The two young men from Johor Bahru were broke, so when an acquaintance offered them RM1,000 (S$305) to transport boxes of “betel leaves” using a rental car to Singapore, they agreed.
The men, who are in their early 20s, made one successful run at midnight. But they were stopped at Woodlands Checkpoint on their second run hours later.
Officers from the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) found more than 300 packs of vapes and related items in the boxes, not betel leaves.
The men – Haz and Amin (not their real names) – claim they had no clue they were transporting vapes.
The so-called easy job, which was to take one day, has turned into a months-long ordeal, with the men’s passports held during investigations in Singapore.
Both men, who are out on bail in Singapore, do not want their real identities published for fear of reprisals.
They showed The Straits Times documents from the authorities to confirm their arrest.
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Vape syndicates operating in the state of Johor have employed different tactics to deliver their products to customers in Singapore, with smugglers using land routes and goods hidden in cargo in trailers, vans, motorcycles and cars.
Checks by ST showed that more than 15,000 vapes and related components were seized at the land crossings in June and July alone.
They included two attempts, one on June 27 and the other on July 8, both at Woodlands Checkpoint, where a total of more than 7,400 vape products were discovered.
On July 24, ICA officers at the same land crossing
discovered more than 5,900
units of
vapes and related components
hidden in a car.
Five days later, officers at Tuas Checkpoint
found 2,400
units of
vapes and related components
hidden in a lorry entering Singapore.
The authorities in Johor have also acted to stem the flow of vapes into Singapore.
On Aug 6, a lorry was stopped at the export lane of Sultan Abu Bakar Complex, before the Tuas Checkpoint, where 7,680 vape pods were found, reported The Star.
Although Johor was the first state to ban vape sales in 2016, vapes and related components are still sold openly in Johor Bahru.
Currently, six states – Johor, Kelantan, Terengganu, Perlis, Kedah and Pahang – have banned the sale of vapes.
ST spoke with a number of vape sellers in Johor Bahru, who say they have regular customers from Singapore.
There are also buyers who order vapes and e-liquids in bulk from sellers all over Malaysia, with delivery in Johor Bahru.
These buyers, who represent syndicates operating in Singapore, rent storage facilities in Johor Bahru and make their own arrangements to smuggle the items across the land checkpoints.
While vapes are sold openly in Johor Bahru, a local source said drug-laced vapes like Kpods – known locally as “mushroom” vapes – are distributed in more discreet channels online.
Several sellers in a Telegram channel for Johor Bahru-based Kpod distributors were eager to sell Kpods and bottles of etomidate. They even shared photos of the items they were selling.
A photo of “mushroom” vapes shared by a seller online. PHOTO: SELLER ON TELEGRAM
With vapes fetching triple the price in Singapore, smugglers are willing to pay couriers between RM1,000 and RM5,000 per trip.
The Singapore Accident Help Centre, a Johor Bahru-based non-governmental organisation (NGO), told ST that it is seeing an increasing number of young men being hired as couriers, such as Haz and Amin.
Mr Farizatul Firdaus, a social worker with the NGO, said there were 77 smuggling cases involving items such as vapes and cigarettes between October 2024 and July 2025.
“They (the syndicates) target young men, often those without jobs, and lure them with quick cash to do deliveries they claim are of harmless items,” said Mr Farizatul.
Alleged Malaysian kingpin of vape syndicate in Singapore held in remand here
Smuggling methods
Mr Mo, a bus rental operator and vape seller, described two smuggling types: “open fight” and “closed fight”.
Open fight involves a buy-and-sell scheme, where individuals procure vapes from suppliers and smuggle them into Singapore themselves, where they are sold to distributors.
Closed fight involves more complex operations, where suppliers work together with smugglers using trailers, passenger buses or vans that are modified with hidden compartments to conceal illicit goods.
Mike, who operates a car rental company, said vape syndicates would use phone numbers registered under a dead person’s name to avoid being traced.
“If the driver gets caught, he will blame his ‘employer’... but by then, the smuggler would be uncontactable,” he added.
Both men said syndicates try to exploit peak-hour traffic at the borders, hoping Singapore officers will be too busy to conduct thorough checks.
300,000 vapes seized in Malaysia’s Port Klang believed to be headed for Singapore
Haz and Amin said they were offered the job by an acquaintance, Fir (not his real name).
The first time they met him was the day they left to deliver the “betel leaves”.
They entered Singapore at around midnight, delivered the package to an unmarked truck in the high-rise carpark of an industrial building about 20 minutes from Woodlands, and returned to Johor Bahru a few hours later.
The pair said they took instructions via WhatsApp from Fir, who supervised them from Johor Bahru. The location of the drop was given only after the pair had cleared immigration in Singapore.
Haz said that when they returned to Johor Bahru at 5am, they were told they would be paid only half the amount promised unless they made another delivery run later in the day.
“At that time, I wanted to pull out because something felt amiss,” said Amin.
He added: “But we eventually agreed to do the job because he (Fir) said he had paid the rental for the car and promised his bosses the job will be done.”
At 12pm, Haz and Amin met an older man – whom Haz believes is Fir’s boss – near a petrol station in Johor Bahru, close to the Woodlands Checkpoint. The man loaded four unmarked boxes into the boot of their car. The pair became suspicious when the man told them not to help load the boxes.
After navigating heavy traffic at the Causeway, Haz and Amin reached Woodlands Checkpoint, only to be stopped by the authorities. Instead of “betel leaves”, officers found vapes inside the boxes.
“We tried contacting him (Fir), but he was unreachable. That was when we knew we were done for,” said Haz.
ICA foils two attempts to bring in vapes, heat sticks at Changi Airport
Enhanced checks
Despite being banned since 2018, $41 million worth of vapes were seized in Singapore from January 2024 to March 2025.
That is nearly five times the reported value seized from 2019 to end-2023, according to numbers compiled by ST.
To tackle the scourge, the Singapore Government
announced a slew of measures
, including enhanced checks at border checkpoints and stiffer penalties from Sept 1.
On Sept 10, the government in Malaysia announced
that it is moving towards a nationwide ban
on the sale and use of vapes.
It will be carried out in phases, starting with a ban on open-system vapes, which allow users to refill the device with any e-liquid.
The ban will then be expanded to cover all types of vape products.
Online vape sales in Malaysia thrive despite ban
Malaysia’s vape industry was valued at RM3.48 billion in 2023, up from RM2.27 billion in 2019.
The Global Adult Tobacco Survey estimated that in a country of 34.2 million people, 1.4 million Malaysian adults use e-cigarettes.
The Malaysia Retail Electronic Cigarette Association, which has 1,500 members, said a full ban will hurt local entrepreneurs.
Its president, Datuk Adzwan Ab Manas, told ST: “The Health Ministry should approve safe vapes and ban drug-laced ones instead.”
Malaysia’s Health Ministry had earlier revealed that 65.6 per cent of vape liquids seized in 2023 and 2024 contained dangerous drugs.
Dr Mohamed Amin Kader, president of the Johor Doctors Association, argued for an outright ban on vapes in the light of the revelation.
“With drugs easily liquified and disguised in sleek, trendy devices, addiction among the young can spread right under our noses – without anyone noticing until it is too late,” he added.
Haz said his cut for the easy job was a mere RM100.
The rest was for Amin, who drove the car.
“I regret my actions. For such a meagre amount of money, it was not worth it,” said Haz.
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox
Haz (not his real name), a man in his early 20s from Johor Bahru, was caught at Woodlands Checkpoint for smuggling vapes into Singapore.
Haz (not his real name) from Johor Bahru, who is in his early 20s, was caught at Woodlands Checkpoint for allegedly trying to smuggle vapes into Singapore.
ST PHOTO: HARITH MUSTAFFA
avatar-alt
Published Sep 15, 2025, 05:00 AM
Updated Sep 15, 2025, 05:00 AM
SINGAPORE - The two young men from Johor Bahru were broke, so when an acquaintance offered them RM1,000 (S$305) to transport boxes of “betel leaves” using a rental car to Singapore, they agreed.
The men, who are in their early 20s, made one successful run at midnight. But they were stopped at Woodlands Checkpoint on their second run hours later.
Officers from the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) found more than 300 packs of vapes and related items in the boxes, not betel leaves.
The men – Haz and Amin (not their real names) – claim they had no clue they were transporting vapes.
The so-called easy job, which was to take one day, has turned into a months-long ordeal, with the men’s passports held during investigations in Singapore.
Both men, who are out on bail in Singapore, do not want their real identities published for fear of reprisals.
They showed The Straits Times documents from the authorities to confirm their arrest.
Top stories
Swipe. Select. Stay informed.
Property analysts estimate that the 3.8ha housing plot, which is part of the upcoming Dover-Medway neighbourhood, can yield more than 1,300 new flats.
Former ITE HQ and ITE Dover campus to be demolished by HDB for new homes
Derek Khor Boon Chun is now accused of one count each of etomidate consumption and being in possession of a pod that contained the substance.
Singapore
4 more charges for first man charged over etomidate possession under Misuse of Drugs Act
The automated Tyre Management System, which uses cameras, strobe lights and ground sensors, installed on the road surface at Ulu Pandan Bus Depot on Sept 12.
Singapore
Bus technicians at SBS Transit now use AI-powered system to inspect tyres
A rate cut this week, however, won’t necessarily set the Federal Reserve on a smooth glide path to lower rates.
Business
Fed expected to cut rates this week as divisions grow amid heavy Trump pressure
BUTTERWORTH, 14 Sept -- Menteri Komunikasi Datuk Fahmi Fadzil memberi penerangan ketika sidang media selepas meninjau Projek Fibre-to-the-Home (FTTH) di Rumah Keluarga Angkatan Tentera (RKAT) di sini hari ini.
Fahmi berkata FTTH di Rumah Keluarga Angkatan Tentera di seluruh negara dijadual siap sepenuhnya menjelang Mei 2027.
Beliau berkata buat masa ini, kerja-kerja pelaksanaan sedang giat dijalankan dengan memberi keutamaan kepada beberapa kem tentera utama termasuk Pengkalan Udara Butterworth dan Pengkalan Udara Serdang.
Turut bersama Ketua Setiausaha Kementerian Komunikasi Datuk Seri Mohamad Fauzi Md Isa dan Pengarah Urusan MCMC Abdul Karim Fakir Ali.
--fotoBERNAMA (2025) HAK CIPTA TERPELIHARA
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PSP moved its party paper The Palm onto online newsletter platform Substack on Aug 25.
Singapore
Opposition parties left out of Parliament after GE2025 find new ways to reach S’poreans, offer ideas
Vape syndicates operating in the state of Johor have employed different tactics to deliver their products to customers in Singapore, with smugglers using land routes and goods hidden in cargo in trailers, vans, motorcycles and cars.
Checks by ST showed that more than 15,000 vapes and related components were seized at the land crossings in June and July alone.
They included two attempts, one on June 27 and the other on July 8, both at Woodlands Checkpoint, where a total of more than 7,400 vape products were discovered.
On July 24, ICA officers at the same land crossing
discovered more than 5,900
units of
vapes and related components
hidden in a car.
Five days later, officers at Tuas Checkpoint
found 2,400
units of
vapes and related components
hidden in a lorry entering Singapore.
The authorities in Johor have also acted to stem the flow of vapes into Singapore.
On Aug 6, a lorry was stopped at the export lane of Sultan Abu Bakar Complex, before the Tuas Checkpoint, where 7,680 vape pods were found, reported The Star.
Although Johor was the first state to ban vape sales in 2016, vapes and related components are still sold openly in Johor Bahru.
Currently, six states – Johor, Kelantan, Terengganu, Perlis, Kedah and Pahang – have banned the sale of vapes.
ST spoke with a number of vape sellers in Johor Bahru, who say they have regular customers from Singapore.
There are also buyers who order vapes and e-liquids in bulk from sellers all over Malaysia, with delivery in Johor Bahru.
These buyers, who represent syndicates operating in Singapore, rent storage facilities in Johor Bahru and make their own arrangements to smuggle the items across the land checkpoints.
While vapes are sold openly in Johor Bahru, a local source said drug-laced vapes like Kpods – known locally as “mushroom” vapes – are distributed in more discreet channels online.
Several sellers in a Telegram channel for Johor Bahru-based Kpod distributors were eager to sell Kpods and bottles of etomidate. They even shared photos of the items they were selling.
A photo of “mushroom” vapes shared by a seller online. PHOTO: SELLER ON TELEGRAM
With vapes fetching triple the price in Singapore, smugglers are willing to pay couriers between RM1,000 and RM5,000 per trip.
The Singapore Accident Help Centre, a Johor Bahru-based non-governmental organisation (NGO), told ST that it is seeing an increasing number of young men being hired as couriers, such as Haz and Amin.
Mr Farizatul Firdaus, a social worker with the NGO, said there were 77 smuggling cases involving items such as vapes and cigarettes between October 2024 and July 2025.
“They (the syndicates) target young men, often those without jobs, and lure them with quick cash to do deliveries they claim are of harmless items,” said Mr Farizatul.
Alleged Malaysian kingpin of vape syndicate in Singapore held in remand here
Smuggling methods
Mr Mo, a bus rental operator and vape seller, described two smuggling types: “open fight” and “closed fight”.
Open fight involves a buy-and-sell scheme, where individuals procure vapes from suppliers and smuggle them into Singapore themselves, where they are sold to distributors.
Closed fight involves more complex operations, where suppliers work together with smugglers using trailers, passenger buses or vans that are modified with hidden compartments to conceal illicit goods.
Mike, who operates a car rental company, said vape syndicates would use phone numbers registered under a dead person’s name to avoid being traced.
“If the driver gets caught, he will blame his ‘employer’... but by then, the smuggler would be uncontactable,” he added.
Both men said syndicates try to exploit peak-hour traffic at the borders, hoping Singapore officers will be too busy to conduct thorough checks.
300,000 vapes seized in Malaysia’s Port Klang believed to be headed for Singapore
Haz and Amin said they were offered the job by an acquaintance, Fir (not his real name).
The first time they met him was the day they left to deliver the “betel leaves”.
They entered Singapore at around midnight, delivered the package to an unmarked truck in the high-rise carpark of an industrial building about 20 minutes from Woodlands, and returned to Johor Bahru a few hours later.
The pair said they took instructions via WhatsApp from Fir, who supervised them from Johor Bahru. The location of the drop was given only after the pair had cleared immigration in Singapore.
Haz said that when they returned to Johor Bahru at 5am, they were told they would be paid only half the amount promised unless they made another delivery run later in the day.
“At that time, I wanted to pull out because something felt amiss,” said Amin.
He added: “But we eventually agreed to do the job because he (Fir) said he had paid the rental for the car and promised his bosses the job will be done.”
At 12pm, Haz and Amin met an older man – whom Haz believes is Fir’s boss – near a petrol station in Johor Bahru, close to the Woodlands Checkpoint. The man loaded four unmarked boxes into the boot of their car. The pair became suspicious when the man told them not to help load the boxes.
After navigating heavy traffic at the Causeway, Haz and Amin reached Woodlands Checkpoint, only to be stopped by the authorities. Instead of “betel leaves”, officers found vapes inside the boxes.
“We tried contacting him (Fir), but he was unreachable. That was when we knew we were done for,” said Haz.
ICA foils two attempts to bring in vapes, heat sticks at Changi Airport
Enhanced checks
Despite being banned since 2018, $41 million worth of vapes were seized in Singapore from January 2024 to March 2025.
That is nearly five times the reported value seized from 2019 to end-2023, according to numbers compiled by ST.
To tackle the scourge, the Singapore Government
announced a slew of measures
, including enhanced checks at border checkpoints and stiffer penalties from Sept 1.
On Sept 10, the government in Malaysia announced
that it is moving towards a nationwide ban
on the sale and use of vapes.
It will be carried out in phases, starting with a ban on open-system vapes, which allow users to refill the device with any e-liquid.
The ban will then be expanded to cover all types of vape products.
Online vape sales in Malaysia thrive despite ban
Malaysia’s vape industry was valued at RM3.48 billion in 2023, up from RM2.27 billion in 2019.
The Global Adult Tobacco Survey estimated that in a country of 34.2 million people, 1.4 million Malaysian adults use e-cigarettes.
The Malaysia Retail Electronic Cigarette Association, which has 1,500 members, said a full ban will hurt local entrepreneurs.
Its president, Datuk Adzwan Ab Manas, told ST: “The Health Ministry should approve safe vapes and ban drug-laced ones instead.”
Malaysia’s Health Ministry had earlier revealed that 65.6 per cent of vape liquids seized in 2023 and 2024 contained dangerous drugs.
Dr Mohamed Amin Kader, president of the Johor Doctors Association, argued for an outright ban on vapes in the light of the revelation.
“With drugs easily liquified and disguised in sleek, trendy devices, addiction among the young can spread right under our noses – without anyone noticing until it is too late,” he added.
Haz said his cut for the easy job was a mere RM100.
The rest was for Amin, who drove the car.
“I regret my actions. For such a meagre amount of money, it was not worth it,” said Haz.
