A smuggling attempt was stubbed out when about 6,100 cartons of cigarettes - with an estimated duty and GST of $468,000 - were seized at the Woodlands Checkpoint yesterday.

Hidden in sawn timber carried on a Malaysian-registered lorry, the stash is one of the biggest confiscated by the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority.

The largest seizure - 6,200 cartons - was in April this year.

The 46-year-old Malaysian driver, the only person in the lorry, was arrested.

Deputy Superintendent Ng Ka Shan said: 'The lorry was subject to a routine scan because, at first glance, we thought there was a possibility of stuffing things in between the layers of sawn timber.'

She said this method was one of the newer ways adopted by smugglers.