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Singapore Vape Pipeline? 300K Devices Uncovered in Malaysia

 




A significant shipment of contraband electronic vaporisers, suspected to be intended for the Singapore market, has been intercepted by Malaysian Customs officials. The seizure, which took place at Port Klang in late July 2025, involved the discovery of approximately 300,000 vapes and their various components concealed within shipping containers.

According to sources familiar with the ongoing investigation, the shipment originated from China. When Customs officers conducted an inspection of the containers on July 30, they encountered cardboard boxes that were declared on official shipping manifests as containing furniture. The officers' suspicion was raised due to the boxes being wrapped in distinctive green polythene bags. This specific packaging method is recognized as a known modus operandi used by syndicates that specialize in smuggling vaping products across international borders.

The seized electronic vaporisers were identified as being of the "Salthub" brand. A key indicator that they were intended for the illicit market, and not for legal sale in Malaysia, was the complete absence of the health warnings that are legally mandated for all such devices in the country. It is important to note that while vaping is legal in some Malaysian states, including Selangor where Port Klang is located, all legal products must strictly adhere to national guidelines involving proper packaging, labelling, the payment of excise tax, and limits on liquid volume.

The source indicated that this particular brand is actively promoted on several online platforms and messaging applications that are popular in Singapore. This has led investigators to believe that Singapore was the intended final destination for the massive shipment. The likely route for these devices was theorized to be by road from Malaysia into Singapore. This seizure aligns with a broader warning issued by a United Nations office in a May report, which identified Malaysia as a major maritime trafficking hub for items like vapes and certain drugs destined for other parts of Southeast Asia.

The investigation into this July shipment revealed the sophisticated tactics used by smuggling networks to avoid detection. The shipping company involved in the transport had no publicly available contact numbers or an official website. Furthermore, the Malaysian consignee listed to collect the shipment was registered to a residential address, not a commercial business or warehouse, suggesting the use of a false front to facilitate the illegal operation.

This incident is part of a larger pattern of increased enforcement against vaping products. Authorities in Singapore have markedly stepped up their efforts in response to a significant spike in vaping activities. Reports indicate that from January 2024 to March 2025, the value of vapes seized was forty-one million dollars, a nearly fivefold increase compared to the total value seized over the previous four years. Singapore employs a multi-faceted approach at its checkpoints, using data analytics for pre-arrival risk assessments of cargo and travelers, alongside advanced scanning technologies to uncover contraband.

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