SINGAPORE - Officers from the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority and the Police Coast Guard found 174 cartons of duty-unpaid cigarettes in the fore ballast of a tugboat last Thursday night (Dec 6).

Ballast is material that provides stability to a ship by weighing it down.

The contraband cigarettes were found during a joint operation at Pasir Panjang Terminal, which commenced at around 11pm.

The total duty and Goods and Services Tax evaded amounted to $23,775.36 and $1,703.45 respectively.

The case was referred to Singapore Customs for further investigation.