A total of 1,175 cartons of contraband cigarettes were found under a modified floorboard compartment of a Malaysian-registered bus last Friday at about 11.15pm.

The total customs duty evaded is estimated to be about $82,700 and goods and services tax (GST) payable about $7,800, said the Immigrations and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) in a statement on Tuesday.

Less than 24 hours later, at about 7.40pm on last Saturday, ICA officers at Woodlands Checkpoint uncovered a total of 38 slabs of duty unpaid manufactured tobacco in various parts of a Malaysia-registered car driven by a 27-year-old man. The tobacco was hidden in the door panels and air filters among other places. The potential customs duty and GST for this batch amounted to about $12,700 and $1,400 respectively.

Both cases were referred to Singapore Customs for further investigations. If found guilty, offenders can be fined up to 40 times the amount of duty evaded and/or jailed for up to six years.