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The officers from the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority stumbled onto boxes of sea turtle eggs (above) and another four containing assorted duty-paid cigarettes. -- PHOTO: ICA
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TURTLE eggs, traditional Indonesian medicine and cigarettes were among the contraband seized from smugglers at Marina Wharf last Saturday.
On May 2, officers from the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) and the Singapore Customs (SC) boarded a cargo vessel MV Penguin Indoraya II at Marina Wharf. They found suspected prohibited Indonesian traditional medicine, an assortment of Jamu, among declared consignment goods.
Another group of officers also stumbled onto boxes of sea turtle eggs and another four boxes containing assorted duty-unpaid cigarettes.
In all, officers found 11 cartons of undeclared assorted Jamu and about 12,140 sea turtle eggs. They were transferred to the Health Sciences Authority and Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority of Singapore respectively for further investigations.
The officers also seized a total of 23,520 sticks of cigarettes. The total Customs duty and GST involved amounted to about S$10,340.
If the Jamu products are found to be adulterated with undeclared drugs or substances, this is an offence under the Medicines Act and/or the Poisons Act. Any person found guilty of such offences is liable to be jailed up to two years and/or fined up to $10,000 for each offence under the Poisons Act or be jailed up to two years and/or fined up to $5,000 under the Medicines Act).
Under the Endangered Species Act, any person who smuggles sea turtle eggs is liable, on conviction, a maximum fine of up to $50,000 and/or a jail term of up to two years, if convicted.
For the contraband cigarettes, first time smugglers can be fined up to a maximum of 20 times the amount of duty evaded. Customs also advised the public against buying duty-unpaid cigarettes. For a packet of cigarettes, buyers stand to face a minimum fine of $500 or prosecution in court.
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