SINGAPORE: A man who was importing illegal electronic vaporisers and tobacco-related products into Singapore rented a warehouse to store his stash worth more than S$6.6 million (US$5.2 million).
But after officers from the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) raided the warehouse and seized the items, he enlisted others to conduct surveillance and attempt to retrieve the seized goods.
Chua Wee Ming, 35, pleaded guilty on Tuesday (Oct 13) to nine charges, which included attempting to commit housebreaking in order to commit theft on two occasions. In one, he conspired with someone to commit housebreaking, and in the other, he instigated another person to do so.
Both attempts were unsuccessful.
Chua also pleaded guilty to possessing items resembling tobacco products for the purpose of sale and obstructing the course of justice. Twelve other charges were taken into consideration.
THE CASE
The court heard that Chua, a Malaysian, was in the business of selling e-vaporisers and tobacco-related products.
Sometime before Mar 19, 2024, he arranged to import 653,868 items including disposable vapes and vape box sets into Singapore from Malaysia, according to court documents. The items had a total street value of S$6.628 million as determined by HSA.
A box set includes a single vape, one or two pods – unless otherwise specified – and a charging cable.
Chua rented a warehouse unit at 190 Woodlands Industrial Park E5 to store the items. On Mar 19, 2024, HSA officers raided the warehouse and seized the items.
The officers were unable to transport all the items back to the HSA headquarters or store, given the large quantity and decided to keep the items in custody at the unit. Officers were arranged to guard the premises in shifts.
Chua, who wanted to get his items back, contacted Chee Wai Yuen, who is also Malaysian, sometime around Mar 23, 2024.
He asked Chee to climb into the unit and retrieve the items for him, promising to pay the latter RM50,000 (US$12,234) for the job. He assured Chee that he would arrange to smuggle him out of Singapore if anything happened.
But Chee refused to help as he was scared, but said he could conduct surveillance on the unit instead to check for any HSA personnel so Chua or other people could break in. Chua agreed.
Sometime after 10pm on Mar 23, 2024, Chee drove to the warehouse and parked his car before going up to the ninth floor, where the unit was located at.
He was spotted by three HSA officers who asked why he was there. He tried to leave the warehouse but was stopped by HSA officers and later arrested.
Chua then decided to make another attempt. About two days later, he contacted another person, and asked for his help to enter the warehouse.
He told the man to climb down from the 10th floor to the unit a floor below and steal the seized items. Chua promised to pay him S$20,000, who agreed and sought help from his friend.
The man and his friend went to the warehouse around 3.30pm on Mar 26, 2024. Their plan was to conduct surveillance and collect information so they could break in and retrieve the items later that night.
As they headed to the ninth floor, they ran into an HSA officer. While trying to escape, they were stopped by other HSA officers and were eventually arrested.
ARRANGING FOR CHEE TO LEAVE SINGAPORE
Chee was charged in court on Mar 28, 2024 and later released on court bail, with his passport impounded as part of bail conditions.
He contacted Chua who told him to wait for someone to contact him. Chua then arranged for a lorry driver to pick Chee up and smuggle him into Malaysia.
In the evening of Apr 4, 2024, Chee was instructed by an unidentified person via WhatsApp to go to a location in Tuas belonging to a wood supplier the next morning.
Chee went and looked for a yellow lorry as he was instructed. The lorry was driven by Thanesh Murugan, whom Chua had arranged.
Chee hid behind the driver's seat as Thanesh drove the lorry to Malaysia via Tuas Checkpoint.
Chee was later arrested in October 2024 in Malaysia and extradited to Singapore. He was sentenced to one year, one month and six weeks' jail in July last year.
Thanesh had also been charged over his alleged involvement.
Chua was arrested in September 2024 and released on bail later that month. He was nabbed again in October that year and has been in remand since.
His sentencing has been adjourned to December.
For possessing items resembling tobacco products for the purpose of sale, Chua could be jailed for up to six months, fined up to S$10,000, or both.
A person who commits housebreaking in order to commit any offence may be jailed for up to 10 years and fined.