Enhancing Border Controls and Extending Extra-territorial Provisions in Misuse of Drugs Act to Deter Smuggling of Vapes

12 Mr Yip Hon Weng asked the Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs (a) whether the Ministry has considered extending the extra-territorial provisions under the Misuse of Drugs Act to etomidate-laced vapes similar to prosecuting citizens for overseas cannabis use; and (b) what are the key policy considerations in deciding whether or not to assert jurisdiction beyond Singapore's borders.

13 Mr Christopher de Souza asked the Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs whether border control measures and customs inspections will be strengthened to address smuggling of illegal vaping products through Singapore's borders.

14 Mr Christopher de Souza asked the Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs (a) what measures are taken to address the trend of youths using vapes containing controlled substances; (b) whether enforcement agencies plan to review current enforcement strategies to more effectively deter illegal importation and distribution of vaping devices; and (c) how will the Ministry work with the Ministry of Health to ensure a twinned approach to tackling this issue.

15 Ms Mariam Jaafar asked the Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs whether Singapore's current border enforcement approaches are adequate to intercept illegal imports of e-vaporisers and related products, including through postal channels.

16 Mr Melvin Yong Yik Chye asked the Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs (a) how many cases of attempted e-vaporiser smuggling into Singapore have been intercepted at our checkpoints over the past one year; and (b) what measures will the Ministry take to strengthen interdiction and disrupt the upstream networks that supply e-vaporisers and related products to Singapore.

The Senior Minister of State for Home Affairs (Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim) (for the Coordinating Minister for National Security and the Minister for Home Affairs): Mr Speaker, may I have your permission to answer Question Nos 12 to 16 together?

Mr Speaker: Please proceed.

Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim: Sir, we have stepped up enforcement at the borders to deter trafficking of vapes. Between 15 September 2024 and 14 September 2025, the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) intercepted 76 attempts of large-scale smuggling of vapes and related products at the checkpoints and 57 attempts through the postal channels.

The Singapore Police Force (SPF) and Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) are conducting inland operations against vape trafficking syndicates. On 10 September, CNB dismantled a syndicate dealing in etomidate-laced vapes and arrested eight members of the syndicate.

Extraterritorial jurisdiction of the Misuse of Drugs Act (MDA) was introduced in 1998 to prevent local addicts from being able to travel overseas to abuse drugs. Under section 8A of the MDA, Singapore Citizens and Permanent Residents who are found to have abused controlled drugs outside Singapore will be dealt with as if that offence had been committed in Singapore. With the temporary listing of etomidate and its analogues as Class C controlled drugs, the same provision will apply to those who abuse etomidate overseas.

As for the question on youths abusing vapes containing controlled substances, Ministry of Education schools and Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs) have been engaging students on the health risks and illegality of vapes through the school curriculum and compulsory IHL orientation e-modules. CNB has also included etomidate in its ongoing preventive drug education efforts aimed at youths.

These efforts complement the national public education campaign coordinated by the Ministry of Digital Development and Information.

Mr Speaker: Mr Yip Hon Weng.

Mr Yip Hon Weng (Yio Chu Kang): I thank the Minister for his reply. With the Johor Economic Zone moving closer to reality and the planned seamless MRT link between Singapore and Johor Bahru, does the Government anticipate an increased risk of illicit substances, such as vapes, being trafficked across our borders and what enhanced detection capabilities does ICA have to detect vapes or related components at our checkpoint?

Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim: Sir, I thank the Member for the supplementary question. So, indeed, the Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link will facilitate the movement of convenience between Singapore and Johor Bahru. With this convenience, you can anticipate some travellers who may want to take advantage of the ease of movement to smuggle in contraband.

As such, we have an operational response plan in place where we will enhance the way we do things at the RTS, looking at some of the perceived gaps and at the same time, we want to make sure that it does not inconvenience the travellers as much. So, we will deploy CNB and Police officers there, together with the ICA, to see how we can not only apprehend the persons doing this but also to ensure to give the feeling that it is safe and secure at our borders.

Mr Speaker: Mr Melvin Yong.

Mr Melvin Yong Yik Chye (Radin Mas): I thank the Minister for his assurance, but I am quite concerned to read a recent CNA article published on 11 September that reported how vape shops in Johor Bahru say that Singaporeans still form the bulk of their customers. And checks at our checkpoints, despite all the enhanced penalties, the couriers are still willing to take on these risks to smuggle vapes into Singapore. So, I would like to ask the Minister two questions.

One, what is the total quantity of e-vaporisers and related products detected in the cases intercepted at our checkpoints in the past one year? And whether the penalties for smuggling vapes into Singapore can be further increased, so that we can do more to deter such vapes from entering our shores?

Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim: I thank the Member for the supplementary questions. Answering the second supplementary question first, during that period that I have shared, authorities have seized more than 500,000 e-vaporisers and related components across the cases that I have shared.

And what is key is that, as what was shared by Minister Ong Ye Kung earlier, we have the whole-of-Government effort. It is not only looking at vapes but also looking at etomidate and any other substances that may be brought into Singapore, since 1 September when we listed etomidate in Class C listing. Our ground sensing indicated that there has been a reduction, and the etomidate traffickers are more wary about the situation and our enhanced enforcement efforts. And so, there are those who have stopped dealing with etomidate.

Well, there are also those who still want to take the risk. They feel that there is demand. We will continue to take action against them. Just two weeks ago, we arrested eight members of etomidate syndicates. We will continue to monitor the situation.

We also need the help of fellow Singaporeans and our Members here so that we can, not only take the necessary actions, but I think, go upstream to share with fellow Singaporeans, especially our young people, that these are harmful for them and we protect our people so that they have better lives ahead and continue to keep Singapore safe and secure.

Mr Speaker: Mr Christopher de Souza.

Mr Christopher de Souza (Holland-Bukit Timah): I thank the Minister for his clear responses. My supplementary questions are borne out of my understanding of the MDA. The MDA is effective, it is an excellent tool to combat drugs, provided the drug is classified in a certain Schedule; and here, Class C.

And the last time we had a lot of difficulty with cross-border importation of drugs was new psychoactive substances (NPS). In fact, the Minister and I had a debate about this in a Motion. So, my concern is that we do not know what is beyond the horizon. My question is, how can we make the system more efficient and effective so that if some NPS, some new drug comes up on the market, we are able to have the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the Ministry of Health (MOH) work together, get it under the Class C and therefore, administered.

Because without it being a Schedule drug, we cannot consider them: the people who traffic, as traffickers; the people who consume, as consumers. So, it is critical in the legal stratosphere to have this efficiently, effectively and promptly scheduled as a Class C drug.

That is my genuine concern. I want to know why it took so long for etomidate to be classified as a Class C drug and what more can we do in future to plug this gap and be more efficient in enforcement?

Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim: Sir, I thank the Member for the supplementary question. Minister Ong has shared his view and I concur with his view that, yes, we will continue to make sure that we are quick and also we are able to address the issue with regard to the new types of substance that come on board.

However, the reality, if you look globally, is that this is something that governments around the world, across the world, are handling this issue; whereby for us, we have a strong stance and that is a protection for our system. Nevertheless, even with a strong stance, the traffickers, syndicates will always find opportunities to slip in.

And what about those without the strong stance? You can imagine how the people are affected by not only drugs, controlled drugs, but also substances that can give them a very, very, even short time, or a level of highness that would keep them addicted to it.

So, we will continue to look at the MDA. As the Member shared, we have enhanced how we deal with NPS. This is something that we will continue to do, to look at the landscape and see what ways we can continue to strengthen it. So, I assure the Member that we are in this very seriously. Why? Because we have seen how, in other parts of the world, many countries not only got affected; they turned into a narcotic-state because they were taking a very light stance on it; they felt, initially, nothing will happen to them. But this whole idea of the syndicates trafficking and how they introduce substances and drugs into the society quietly underground and when you come to know about it, you realise it is too late and it is going to be very difficult. I have met many of my counterparts who were taken by surprise, not knowing what is to come.

We are on the right path and we want to get the support of all the Members here and fellow Singaporeans, so that we can continue to do this and protect our people together.

Mr Speaker: Ms Mariam Jaafar.

Ms Mariam Jaafar (Sembawang): I have two supplementary questions. The first supplementary question is around the postal channels. I understand that some of the recent raids arose out of reports by courier staff who discovered vapes or etomidate-laced vapes in the parcels that they were delivering.

I would like to know how are the courier and parcel companies being engaged, enlisted to assist in detecting and reporting the issue of vapes, especially those that have probably slipped through our border controls before? My second supplementary question is, how is technology being used to screen for vapes in small parcels?

Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim: Sir, I thank the Member for the supplementary question. Indeed, a very important supplementary question, because many of our products or services are undertaken at this platform, that is, the postal channels.

All inbound postal articles are subjected to screening by ICA officers with the aid of screening equipment, such as X-ray scanners. Upon detection of any e-vaporises or related components, the article will be referred to HSA for further investigation.

The Member may be interested to note that during the period I shared, from 15 September 2024 to 14 September 2025, we have seized more than 3,000 e-vaporises and related components across these cases.

Mr Speaker: Mr Vikram Nair.

Mr Vikram Nair (Sembawang): Speaker, I am just picking up on a point that the Minister made earlier, but which comes within MHA's prerogative. The Minister was mentioning that a lot of vapes are sold through social media, potentially Telegram. Does MHA think it has adequate tools to deal with sale through social media and whether any more tools are needed?

Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim: I thank the Member for the supplementary question. Yes, we are in the social media space and that is how we have been able to dismantle many of the syndicates, and we will continue to do so. This is a platform where it has developed tremendously, and it also changes very fast. The Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) as well as our agencies, we continue to develop not only the platform but how we can be more effective in our enforcement and at the same time going upstream on that.

Mr Speaker: Mr David Hoe.

Mr David Hoe (Jurong East-Bukit Batok): Speaker, Sir, I have two supplementary questions. These are questions from parents. For youths who consume vaping overseas, what is our position on it? Similar to when the youths consume cannabis. That being the first question.

The second supplementary question is about reporting. Earlier, a Member mentioned that a lot of these can be purchased online. But then, we also realise that for those youths that are below 15 years old, if all these are online platforms, we wonder whether if there is an appropriate platform for the youths to be able to report?

Mr Speaker: Minister Ong Ye Kung.

Mr Ong Ye Kung: The first question, simple answer is, if you consume it overseas as a Class C drug, under MDA, you are still liable for penalty. That is the position we take for all drugs.

Second is, for youths without Singpass, use the telephone. I know there were instances when the operator on the line say, "Can you please send it via the form?" Probably because in the course of the conversation, the youth might have said, "I got photos to show." Because once you have photos, you have got to go to the actual form, which then requires Singpass. But if you do not have Singpass, just tell the operator, I have a case to report. It will be admitted and we will take action appropriately.

I just want to touch on the point that Mr de Souza raised earlier about being fast. I take that point totally. We are going to come to the House to propose a new legislation under MOH. It can be new, or it can be an amendment of existing legislation, but it will provide us with the legal powers to act faster. Even in the absence of total or of comprehensive clinical data on harm, on addiction, on dependence, we can take action first under MOH's powers with the collaboration of other agencies, to require mandated rehabilitation, mandated supervision.

It is a matter of legislation; the legislation do provide for faster response and I think with the new legislation coming next year, do debate on it, give us your perspective and I think, it will improve the situation.

Mr Speaker: Senior Minister of State Faishal, do you wish to add anything? No? Okay, I am going to move on to the next Parliamentary Question. Mr David Hoe. It should be Question No 17 next.