2026 Outlook

What's next for crime – and the top stories of 2025

- David Sun Crime Correspondent

Scammers will face tougher penalties in 2026 with the introduction of mandatory caning for syndicate members and recruiters.

The enhanced punishments for scams, passed in Parliament on Nov 4, will also see discretionary caning of up to 12 strokes for money mules - individuals who provide their bank accounts, SIM cards or Singpass credentials to scammers.

New and permanent legislation will also be introduced in 2026 to combat vaping, even as the temporary classification of the sedative etomidate as a Class C controlled drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act expires in February.

Enhanced penalties for speeding will kick in on Jan 1, 2026, with motorists who speed to face more demerit points and higher composition sums.

Vaping, scams and violent crimes dominated headlines in 2025. The Sunday Times looks back at some of these stories.

VAPING AND KPODS

Vaping, which was pushed by advocates as a tobacco replacement option despite a ban introduced in 2018, has become a drug issue.

ST was aware of reports of young people openly using vapes which were laced with drugs including etomidate, also known as Kpods.

Videos also emerged online, showing vape users who could barely walk and were behaving erratically after using Kpods.

ST launched an anti-vaping campaign, Vaping: The Invisible Crisis, on July 13, to contribute to the fight against the scourge.

Several stories were published as part of the campaign to highlight the dangers of Kpods. One of them was of Mr Delfard Tay, a man whose 19-year-old daughter Shermaine died following an addiction to Kpods.

Tests on seized vapes in July found that one in three was laced with etomidate.

As public concern grew, the authorities moved to stem the problem, introducing stiffer measures from Sept 1.

Enforcement efforts were also ramped up, with more than 10,000 officers across the different government agencies empowered to take action.