HSA Test-Buy Snares Vape Delivery Driver and Shop Operator

A single father of three was sentenced to seven weeks' imprisonment and a $16,000 fine on December 1, 2025, for his involvement in the illegal distribution and sale of vapes.

The Offender and His Role

The convicted man, Shaun Phua Ming Hui, 32, a single father, pleaded guilty to 10 vaping-related offences, with 35 other charges taken into consideration for sentencing.

Initial Role (April 2023): Phua was initially introduced to the job by a friend, where he delivered vapes twice a week. He earned between $100 and $150 daily for 10 to 15 parcels at $10 each.
Expanded Role (March 2024): Seeking extra income, Phua agreed to manage the sales end of the operation. An unnamed associate created two Telegram group accounts, “Abigail vape shop” and “Ashley Tang,” on Phua's phone. Phua managed customer orders and coordination, earning an additional $50 a week, which he admitted brought his total criminal earnings to about $500 per month.

Arrest and Sentencing

Phua was apprehended by the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) in September 2024.

Test-Buy Operation: On September 7, 2024, HSA officers, acting on a tip-off about a Telegram group selling vapes, conducted a test-buy operation at Guilin View condominium in Bukit Gombak.
Arrest and Seizure: Phua arrived at the location in a vehicle to deliver the vapes and was arrested. Authorities found vapes and pods in the vehicle, in addition to five vapes Phua admitted were for his own personal use.
Sentence: Deputy Principal District Judge Kessler Soh sentenced Phua to seven weeks' jail and fined him $16,000. If he is unable to pay the fine, Phua will serve an additional 32 days in jail.

Court's View and Mitigation

HSA prosecutor Vishnu Aditya Naidu argued that deterrence is the main sentencing consideration given the increasing prevalence of vaping offences and the resulting public disquiet, necessitating harsher sentences.

Phua, in mitigation, pleaded leniency, citing that he was a first-time offender who needed the money to support his three children. Judge Kessler Soh delivered a stern warning to Phua: “You have to make sure you don’t ever get involved in such things again.”

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