SINGAPORE - Eleven puppies were found in the modified fuel tank of a Malaysia-registered car at Woodlands Checkpoint on Thursday (March 23), said the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) and Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority (AVA) in a joint release on Friday.
ICA officers found the puppies at about 9pm when they directed the car, driven by a lone 43-year-old Malaysian, for further checks upon its arrival.
The driver, puppies and car have been referred to the AVA. Investigations are ongoing.
It is illegal to import any animals or live birds into Singapore without an AVA permit. Smuggled animals may introduce exotic diseases such as rabies into the country, AVA said.
The maximum penalty for such animal smuggling is a $10,000 fine, imprisonment for up to a year, or both.
The public can refer to AVA's website or download AVA's mobile app, SG TravelKaki (available free-ofcharge from iTunes and the Google Play store), for more information on bringing back animals from overseas.