ICA officers unbox goods on Malaysia lorry declared as cardboard, uncover over 10,400 vapes and pods

Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) officers "unboxed" boxes and cases of goods in a Malaysia-registered lorry at Tuas Checkpoint on Aug 20, but did not find any corrugated paper, or cardboard, declared in its consignment of goods.

Instead, officers uncovered more than 3,400 vaporisers and almost 7,000 pods hidden among the goods. 

Photographs posted on its social media show a trailer with several pellets of goods stacked in its cargo area.

On first look, the goods appear to be bona fide, and there appeared to be corrugated paper on the outward-facing areas.

However, there were also several cartons stacked on at least one pallet that looked different.

ICA said an image analyst noticed anomalies in the scanned image of the vehicle and had directed it for further checks.

There, search and examination officers uncovered the contraband items.

In this instance, a 48-year-old male Malaysian driver was arrested and the case referred to the Health Sciences Authority for investigation.

Stricter laws on vapes, heavier penalties from May 1

Under the Tobacco and Vaporisers Control Act, which came into force on 1 May 2026, those found vaping can be fined up to $10,000. 

Those found vaping etomidate can be fined up to $20,000, or face up to 10 years’ imprisonment, or both.

Convicted suppliers face a jail sentence of two to 10 years and two to five strokes of the cane, while importers face between three to 20 years’ imprisonment, and five to 15 strokes of the cane.

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