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Officials seize thousands of illegal devices stuffed in car parts amid major crackdown: 'Ensuring our borders remain safe and secure'

"All the vigilance and constant arrest, and yet they are still at it."

Singapore just made a massive seizure of illegal vapes, showing how serious the country is about reducing vaping.

Photo Credit: iStock

A large shipment of illegal vapes were recently intercepted and seized in Singapore, according to The Strait Times.

Over 2,800 vapes were found hidden in a car travelling through the western community of Tuas.  

Singapore started cracking down on vapes last summer, treating ownership and use on par with drugs rather than tobacco. Fines for owning, using, or selling vapes can be the equivalent of more than $500, and potentially include detention, according to the news report. The change has included additional screening at Singapore airports.

"Border security is a crucial aspect of the enforcement strategy against e-vaporisers," wrote Singapore's Immigration & Checkpoints Authority on Facebook. "As guardians of the nation's borders, ICA remains committed to safeguarding Singapore by ensuring our borders remain safe and secure."

On 17 Nov 2025, ICA officers at Tuas Checkpoint foiled an attempt to smuggle e-vaporisers and related components into...

Posted by Immigration & Checkpoints Authority on Monday 1 December 2025

Singapore isn't alone in imposing stricter legal pressure on vaping. The U.K. has recently enacted a ban on single-use vapes, though this has led many to treating rechargeable vapes as disposable

The health costs of vaping are well-documented. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes that "no tobacco products, including e-cigarettes, are safe" and highlights the particular dangers of vaping to the health of young people and other vulnerable populations.

These aren't the only problems with the practice. Once used, these devices contribute significantly to e-waste. As litter, vapes can be safety hazards for drivers. Even when disposed of, the high-energy lithium-ion batteries have been known to start fires

When left to landfill, e-waste can leach toxic chemicals into waterways and create threats for people and wildlife alike. 

Knowing your recycling options can ensure vapes get processed responsibly, but cutting the practice altogether can save your lungs and the environment at the same time. 

Locals were happy to see so many vapes were prevented from hitting Singapore streets. 

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"Thanks to ICA and CNB for keeping our country safe from drugs with all the vigilance and constant arrest, and yet they are still at it," wrote one community member on Facebook.

"Thank you ICA And CNB for [continuing] to keep our Singapore Safe from Drugs," replied another.

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