SINGAPORE – A man’s vaping offences came to light after a video of him vaping in an MRT train went viral online.
Tay Choon Loong Aloysius, 37, was fined $2,200 on Feb 24 after he was convicted of one count of possession of an imitation tobacco product, and another count of buying an imitation tobacco product.
The court heard that officers from the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) searched Tay’s home on April 22, 2025, after they were informed about a TikTok video of Tay vaping in an MRT train.
Although the officers did not find any prohibited items, he admitted that he was the person in the video, and said he had disposed of the vape after using it.
During investigations, Tay said he was on his way to work when he used the vape to keep himself awake during his commute.
The vape served as an alternative after he quit smoking cigarettes, he said.
Tay said he had bought the vape for $22 in the back alley of a coffee shop in Geylang.
Between February and March 2025, Tay bought three vapes on a few occasions from the same location from a Bangladeshi individual.
For possessing or purchasing vapes, an offender can be fined up to $2,000.
