SINGAPORE - More than 3,000 cartons of contraband cigarettes were seized at Jurong Port Main Gate on Wednesday, after Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) officers stopped a lorry for checks at 5.10pm.

The lorry, driven by a 57-year-old male Singaporean, had attempted to pass them off as consignments of plasticware.

It was directed to the Jurong Scanning Station for radiographic scanning where officers observed anomalies in the scanned images. They uncovered a total of 3,100 cartons of contraband cigarettes from the lorry.

The unpaid duty and Goods and Services Tax amounted to about $284,800 and $25,890 respectively, the ICA said in a statement on Friday.

The driver, plasticware consignment, contraband cigarettes and lorry were handed over to Singapore Customs for investigations.

The ICA said that the vehicle used for such smuggling offences could be forfeited.