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This is the largest haul of contraband cigarettes seized this year by ICA officers. -- NP PHOTO: KENNETH KOH
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MORE than 2,000 cartons and 619 packets of contraband cigarettes were seized at Woodlands Checkpoint on Tuesday.
This is the largest haul of contraband cigarettes seized this year by Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) officers.
The duty unpaid cigarettes were smuggled on a lorry driven by a Malaysian man and woman, who claimed to be transporting dustbin bags and calcium carbonate - a basic material for limestone and marble.
But further checks by immigration officers led to the discovery of the contraband goods hidden beneath the dustbin bags and calcium carbonate.
The potential Customs duty and GST value on the cigarettes amounted to over $160,000.
In a separate case on Tuesday, ICA officers uncovered 366 cartons of contraband cigarettes hidden in a Malaysian registered car at Woodlands Checkpoint.
The cigarettes were stuffed into the rear left panel of the boot, bonnet, seats, door panels and side skirting of the car, which was driven by a Malaysian couple.
The Customs duty and GST on the goods amounted to over $30,000.
The 21 year-old driver claimed to have been offered RM20 (S$8.60) to help smuggle the cigarettes into Singapore.
Both cases have been referred to Singapore Customs for further investigations.
If found guilty, first time offenders can be fined up to a maximum of 20 times the amount of duty evaded.
For second or subsequent convictions, offenders can be jailed for up to two years, as well as being fined. The offenders also face further fines based on the amount of GST evaded.
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