Over 1,000 cartons of duty-unpaid cigarettes seized from truck in Tuas

The total duty and goods and services tax evaded amounted to about $87,100 and $6,930 respectively. PHOTO: SINGAPORE CUSTOMS
A total of 1,020 cartons of duty-unpaid cigarettes seized. PHOTO: SINGAPORE CUSTOMS

SINGAPORE - A 29-year-old Malaysian man was arrested last Saturday (March 12) after 1,020 cartons of duty-unpaid cigarettes were found in a truck.

The total duty and goods and services tax evaded amounted to about $87,100 and $6,930 respectively, Singapore Customs said on Tuesday (March 15).

The man was arrested during an operation in the wee hours of last Saturday in the vicinity of Tuas South Walk.

Customs officers spotted a Malaysia-registered prime mover attached with a trailer and a Singapore-registered truck parked back to back along the road.

They found 1,020 cartons of duty-unpaid cigarettes in the truck. The illegal goods had been retrieved from a modified compartment in the floorboard of the trailer. 

The Malaysian man is the driver of the prime mover. Singapore Customs did not provide details as to whether there is another driver involved.

The cigarettes and the two vehicles were seized. Court proceedings against the man are ongoing.

Singapore Customs warns that buying, selling, conveying, delivering, storing, keeping, possessing and dealing with duty-unpaid goods are serious offences.

The duty-unpaid cigarettes were found in a modified compartment in the floorboard of the trailer. PHOTO: SINGAPORE CUSTOMS

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 the commission of such offences are liable to be forfeited," it added.

Members of the public with information about smuggling activities or evasion of duty or GST can call the Singapore Customs hotline on 1800-233-0000 or via e-mail.

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