SINGAPORE - Three men were arrested on Friday for their suspected involvement in smuggling duty-unpaid cigarettes into Singapore.

The trio, aged between 24 and 57, were caught a joint operation by the police and Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA).

At 1.45 am, officers checks on a vessel off Jurong Port and found 960 cartons of duty-unpaid cigarettes worth more than $117,000 in itss steering gear room.

The total duty evaded exceeded $91,000 and the GST evaded exceeded $8,200. The cigarettes and vessel involved were seized. Singapore Customs is investigating.

Buying, selling, storing, possessing or dealing with duty unpaid goods are serious offences under the Customs Act and the GST Act. Offenders can be fined up to 40 times the amount of duty and GST evaded and/or jailed for up to six years.

For possessing a packet of duty unpaid cigarettes, buyers may face a minimum fine of $500 or prosecution in court.

People with information on smuggling activities or evasion of customs duty or GST can call Singapore Customs on 1800-233-0000 or email: customs_intelligence@customs.gov.sg