Earlier this month, Certis Cisco, which Customs engages to patrol the Woodlands Road and Petir Road areas, started deploying armed officers instead of its enforcement officers, who do not carry weapons.
The auxiliary police officers work in tandem with plainclothes Customs officers to catch motorists who stop to buy the contraband, and also try to nab the peddlers.
Under the Customs Act, the penalties can be heavy for peddlers, smugglers and buyers alike.
The exact punishment depends on how much stash is found on them and whether it is the culprit's first offence.
If a peddler is found with more than 2kg of contraband, the maximum penalty is a fine that is 20 times the taxes evaded or $10,000, whichever is greater; as well as three years' jail.
And if he is an over-stayer or illegal immigrant, he faces additional punishment: a maximum of six months' jail and at least three strokes of the cane.
In the first half of last year, Customs caught 456 peddlers, compared to 381 over the same period in 2006.
This was a 20 per cent rise.
In November last year, the maximum on-the-spot fine for buyers was also ramped up to $500 from $200.
But offenders can also be hauled to court, where they can face similar charges as peddlers and smugglers.
In all, 23,422 people were arrested for cigarette offences last year, a 153 per cent leap compared with 2006.