SINGAPORE – Two Singaporeans were arrested and more than 3,400 cartons of duty-unpaid cigarettes were seized in an operation on Tuesday and Wednesday, Singapore Customs said on Friday.

The total duty evaded was more than $360,000, while the goods and services tax evaded was over $32,000.

One of the suspects, a 28-year-old woman, was nabbed by Customs officers at an industrial building in Hillview Terrace on Tuesday.

Officers had inspected the van she was driving and found 1,070 cartons of duty-unpaid cigarettes in the vehicle.

The woman was arrested immediately.

Subsequent checks on a unit in the same building uncovered another 2,428 cartons of the contraband.

The following day, officers arrested a 20-year-old man who had allegedly used a truck to deliver the duty-unpaid cigarettes to the industrial building.

The vehicles were seized in the operation. Investigations are ongoing.

It is an offence to buy, sell, convey, deliver, store, keep, possess or deal with duty-unpaid goods, Singapore Customs said.

Offenders can be fined up to 40 times the amount of duty and GST evaded, jailed for up to six years, or both.

Vehicles used in such offences are also liable to be forfeited.

Those with information on smuggling activities or evasion of duty or GST can call the Singapore Customs hotline on 1800-233-0000 or e-mail customs_intelligence@customs.gov.sg