Wanted: Young tenants to rent condo for vapes... and take the fall

Syndicates post Telegram and Instagram ads, promising to pay l,000 when lease is signed

- Andrew Wong

Criminal syndicates peddling evaporisers in Singapore are using young people to rent homes to store e-vaporisers, in a scheme that sees the tenants taking the fall during a bust.

It involves the tenant signing a rental agreement and then handing over the keys and control of the unit to the syndicate.

Although a year's worth of rent is paid in advance, the organised crime groups typically stay for about a month before moving to another unit to avoid detection.

The Health Sciences Authority (HSA) said it is aware of the scheme, adding that feedback which it received has led to the discovery of eight such storage units since 2024.

"HSA has been actively tracking online listings, social media posts and messaging platforms 24/7 to detect and remove illegal advertisements and posts.

"We work with Telegram to remove e-vaporiser-related advertisements and also acted on public feedback, leading to the discovery of e-vaporiser storage units," said a spokesperson, adding that more than 600 Telegram groups advertising the sale of vapes were removed in 2024.

The Sunday Times, in collaboration with Chinese daily Lianhe Zaobao, first learnt of the scheme in late July.

The syndicates had been posting advertisements on Telegram and Instagram, where they promise to pay $60 for viewing a property, and a further $1,000 once a lease is signed.

There are also roles for delivery drivers, fund handlers and packers - fronts for money laundering and trafficking of vapes.

The scheme involves a network of shell companies that could include those in the construction trade.

Those who take on the tenant role are told they would be listed as employees of the firms a cover if they are caught during a raid of the rental properties.

The "employees" are told to explain that they were hired to rent the units to accommodate migrant workers.

ST contacted two advertisers on Sept 2.

The first gave his name as Jojo.