SINGAPORE - More than 5,000 cartons of duty-unpaid cigarettes were found hidden under a Malaysian-registered lorry at Tuas Checkpoint last Thursday (Aug 13).

The lorry's driver, a 47-year-old Malaysian, has been charged in court. The duty evaded for the cigarettes amounted to $429,310, and the goods and services tax evaded was $34,760.

Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) officers had spotted something suspicious about the exterior of the lorry, which was carrying a consignment of precast concrete. They then pried open a small section of the lorry bed, revealing 5,026 cartons and 10 packets of assorted duty-unpaid cigarettes hidden in it.

The case was handed over to Singapore Customs for further investigation, said ICA on Tuesday.

ICA said it will continue to conduct security checks at checkpoints to prevent attempts to smuggle undesirable persons, drugs, weapons, explosives and other contraband goods across Singapore's borders.

"The same methods of concealment used by contraband smugglers may be used by terrorists to smuggle arms and explosives to carry out attacks in Singapore," it added.