SINGAPORE - A 37-year-old man was arrested and 1,221 cartons and 2,200 packets of duty-unpaid cigarettes were seized by Singapore Customs officers in an operation.

The Singapore Customs said in a statement on Tuesday (Feb 22) that its officers carried out a check on a Singapore-registered van last Friday in Jurong West Street 93.

They found the duty-unpaid cigarettes wrapped in black trash bags in the cargo compartment of the vehicle. The driver, a Chinese national, was arrested and the van was seized.

A total of $123,070 in import duty and $9,790 in goods and services tax (GST) were evaded.

The statement added that court proceedings are ongoing.

Buying, selling, conveying, delivering, storing, keeping, possessing or dealing with duty-unpaid goods are serious offences under the Customs Act and the GST Act.

If found guilty, offenders can be fined up to 40 times the amount of duty and GST evaded and/or jailed for up to six years. Vehicles used in such offences can be forfeited.