JOHOR BARU, Jan 4 — The Johor police seized vape liquids, electronic vape devices and related paraphernalia worth a whopping RM1.55 million, following a raid at a premises in Taman Eko Perniagaan here yesterday.
Johor police chief Datuk Kamarul Zaman Mamat said the raids were the result of investigations carried out by the Region Two Marine Police Force, the state police contingent’s Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and the Johor Baru South district police.
He said three suspects, consisting of two men and a woman, aged between 22 and 25, were arrested during the raid at about 12.30pm yesterday.
"Preliminary investigations revealed that the three suspects are employees and caretakers of the vape premises that sells various types of vape liquids, electronic vape devices and related accessories.
"The seizure involved 2,753 boxes containing 53,421 packs of various types of vape liquids and electronic vape devices.
"The seized items are worth RM1.55 million and involved the vape liquid (RM1.29 million) and electronic vape devices and accessories (RM253,048), where the items are sold at the premises as well as online,” said Kamarul Zaman at a press conference held at the Region Two Marine Police Force headquarters in Tampoi here today.
Present were Johor deputy police chief Deputy Commissioner M. Kumar and Region Two Marine Police Force commander Assistant Commissioner Muhd Zailani Abdullah.
The state’s top cop said the sale of vape liquids and related devices is prohibited by the local authorities in Johor.
He added that the enactment has been gazetted as an offense in the state.
It is understood that the confiscated vape liquid also contains nicotine that exceeds what is allowed under the Poisons Act.
Kamarul Zaman said the three suspects have been remanded for three days starting today.
He added that the suspects had no previous criminal records and were not on the police wanted list.
"The case is being investigated under Section 13 (a) of the Poisons Act 1952, which carries a maximum penalty of a RM3,000 fine or a maximum imprisonment of a year, or both, if convicted," he said.
At the same time, Kamarul Zaman advised those involved in the sale of vape liquids and electronic vape devices to immediately stop the sale of such products.
