Condo residential units as smoke screen in e-vaporiser scams
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SINGAPORE: The city-state’s organised crime groups engaged in the illegal vaping business are employing an appalling novel plan of action — enlisting young adults to lease residential units to be utilised as short-lived vape storage houses. These people, usually baited via Telegram and Instagram ads, sign condo rental contracts on behalf of crime syndicates in exchange for money, inadvertently placing themselves in danger.
After signing a year-long lease, these “tenants” hand over the keys to syndicate members, who use the unit for just a month before moving on to avoid detection. In the event of a police raid, the tenant is left holding the bag — sometimes backed by fake employment documents naming them as workers for shell companies in the construction industry.
One such recruiter, calling himself Jojo, told reporters he paid S$60 for property viewings and S$1,000 once a lease was signed. Additional incentives include monthly payments for giving up bank or cryptocurrency accounts, all part of a wider strategy to conceal illegal operations with layers of plausible deniability.
Social media, shell companies, and crypto: A crime network unveiled
These illegal consortiums operate with horrifying expertise. Roles are forked among “recruiters,” conveyance drivers, money managers, and baggers/packers. Most of these workers do not have a complete understanding of the illegal trade they’ve become part of.
Recruiters like Jojo and another alias, Jerome, offer legal cover stories, such as employment contracts through construction companies, should tenants be questioned. “If something happens, just tell the police you were hired to house migrant workers,” Jojo explained. “You’re the victim.”
The Health Sciences Authority (HSA) has confirmed it is tracking these operations, removing over 600 Telegram groups related to vape sales in 2024 alone. Yet, the cat-and-mouse game continues, with syndicates using encrypted messaging apps, bank account takeovers, and crypto payments to stay ahead.
A third advertiser linked to a co-working space in the CBD was found to be tied to a former client now under police investigation. The sole director of that entity has since disappeared.
Authorities crack down: Laws strengthened against organised vape crime
In response to the escalating situation, Singapore’s authorities are taking a tougher stance. On Aug 28, the government declared additional fresh measures permitting enforcement agencies to pursue, engage, and prosecute vape-related mobs under these potent regulations:
- Organised Crime Act (OCA)
- Online Criminal Harms Act (OCHA)
- Corruption, Drug Trafficking and Other Serious Crimes (Confiscation of Benefits) Act (CDSA)
These laws authorise enforcers to not only break up online promotions but also get hold of earnings and take down entire supply chains.
Lawyer Roy Paul Mukkam noted the significance of these shifts: “We’re now talking about a trade involving tens of millions of dollars — this is organised crime, not petty smuggling.”
A lucrative, low-risk trade keeps demand high
Despite harsher laws and high-profile raids, demand for e-vaporisers — including those laced with substances like etomidate — shows little sign of slowing. In a major operation on Sep 10, CNB officers arrested eight young suspects (aged 18 to 29), seizing hundreds of illicit vape pods from a rented HDB unit in Telok Blangah.
Veteran lawyer Ramesh Tiwary believes syndicates are intentionally flooding the market. “It’s business. If they increase availability, they grow their customer base,” he said.
While vaping offences now carry stiffer penalties, Mr. Mukkam points out that the risk-to-reward ratio remains attractive: “These aren’t crimes that carry the death penalty or decades-long jail terms like drug trafficking. It’s high-profit, relatively low-risk — especially for syndicates already smuggling cigarettes, alcohol, or narcotics.”
As enforcement escalates, Singapore faces a growing challenge: dismantling a shadow economy of vapes that’s entrenching itself deeper in the digital underworld — and dragging unwitting youth along with it.
If you have information about illegal vaping activities or suspicious rentals, you are encouraged to contact the authorities or submit anonymous tips via official platforms.
