Over 6,500 cartons of duty-unpaid cigarettes found in steel beams on lorry at Tuas Checkpoint
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ICA officers noticed anomalies in scanned images of the lorry, which was carrying a shipment of steel bridge structures.
PHOTO: IMMIGRATION & CHECKPOINTS AUTHORITY/FACEBOOK
SINGAPORE - Immigration officers at the Tuas Checkpoint foiled an attempt to smuggle more than 6,500 cartons of duty-unpaid cigarettes on a Malaysia-registered lorry on April 18.
The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) said in a Facebook post on Tuesday that its officers noticed anomalies in scanned images of the lorry, which was carrying a shipment of steel bridge structures.
The steel beams were cut open, and a total of 6,547 cartons of duty-unpaid cigarettes were found hidden inside.
An accompanying video shows photos of the contraband hidden in two hollow beams.
The case was referred to Singapore Customs for further investigations, ICA added.
On April 18, ICA officers at Woodlands Checkpoint also foiled an attempt to smuggle 314 cartons and 1,558 packets of duty-unpaid cigarettes in a car.
The largest haul of duty-unpaid cigarettes detected at land checkpoints so far in 2023 was 12,708 cartons on Jan 18 at Tuas Checkpoint.
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
