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A MALAYSIAN man alleged to be a central figure in Singapore’s illegal e-vaporiser trade has been held in remand for nearly a year, as investigations continue into one of the country’s largest smuggling networks.
The Straits Times reported Chua Wee Ming, 34, was arrested on 10 October 2024 during an island wide enforcement operation. He now faces multiple charges, including cheating and attempting to obstruct the course of justice, in connection with the illegal importation and distribution of vape products from Malaysia into Singapore.
In a joint statement following his arrest, the Singapore Police Force and the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) identified Chua as a key syndicate member responsible for orchestrating the cross-border trade of vaping products.
Court documents reveal that Chua’s name first emerged after a break-in at a commercial unit in Sembawang. Lim Zhi Wei, who was overseeing the premises, initially reported that IT gadgets had been stolen, but later admitted the stolen goods were in fact S$470,000 worth of vapes. Lim confessed to storing, packing, and delivering the products, and was fined S$8,500.
Lim later claimed he had been acting under the direction of a Malaysian man named “Jason”. He revealed during investigations that he had worked for Chua over a two-month period, earning between S$2,000 and S$3,000.
Court records also allege that Chua himself, along with another man, was involved in the May 2022 break-in at the same premises.
Chua’s name surfaced again in 2023 when he allegedly used the identity of a Singaporean man, who was grappling with gambling debts of S$80,000, to rent a warehouse in Woodlands. The man, who met Chua at a pub in Malaysia through a mutual acquaintance, agreed to assist in transporting vape products into Singapore in exchange for help repaying his debts.
In September 2022, the man was caught at Woodlands Checkpoint with vape products believed to belong to Chua. Following this, Chua allegedly instructed the man to rent a warehouse unit in Woodlands under his name. The man signed a lease in May 2023, fully aware that it would be used for storing vape products.
The operation ran for nearly a year before being uncovered in April 2024, when authorities raided the premises and discovered more than S$5.2 million worth of vape products.
Two Thai nationals, who were found living in the unit, admitted they were overstayers working as packers. They said they were recruited via the messaging platform Line and had worked alongside three other Thai nationals.
Chua is also accused of being involved in an audacious plot to steal more than S$6.5 million worth of seized vape products from a government warehouse overseen by the HSA. The facility was managed by Michael Anthony Pillay, a chief enforcement supervisor with WSH Experts.
Pillay is currently facing a corruption charge for allegedly offering Chua information on planned HSA raids in exchange for S$8,000.
According to court documents, another Malaysian man, Chee Wai Yuen, was instructed to conduct surveillance on the warehouse ahead of the attempted heist in March 2024.
On 23 March, Chee was spotted by HSA officers and arrested after drugs were discovered in his vehicle. He was charged in court on 28 March and granted bail on 4 April.
Prosecutors allege that Chua then arranged for a lorry driver to smuggle Chee back into Malaysia. Chee fled and remained on the run for six months before being arrested and extradited to Singapore in October 2024.
He was sentenced on 7 July 2025 to one year, one month and six weeks’ imprisonment for obstructing justice and offences under the Immigration Act and Misuse of Drugs Act.
Separately, Chua allegedly offered S$20,000 to Lim Zhi Wei to break into the HSA warehouse. Lim enlisted a friend, 23-year-old Elvin Suriaganandhan, to assist. The pair were caught by HSA officers on 26 March.
Lim was sentenced on 8 July to two years, one month and six weeks’ jail, along with a S$2,400 fine. Elvin received six weeks and 10 days’ imprisonment on 25 August, including time for an unrelated traffic offence. He was also disqualified from driving for one year following his release.
Chua’s case is scheduled for a pre-trial conference on 25 September. - September 14, 2025
