Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) announced that its officers had seized 6,454 cartons and 460 packets of duty-unpaid cigarettes from a Malaysia-registered truck at the Tuas checkpoint on 17 November.
It said that officers directed the truck, driven by a lone 46-year-old male Malaysian, for inspection upon its arrival at the checkpoint at about 9am.
The truck was carrying a consignment declared to contain 20 pallets of paper boxes. During the course of checks, ICA officers found duty-unpaid cigarettes hidden among the consignment.
ICA said that the driver, duty-unpaid cigarettes and truck were handed over to Singapore Customs for investigations. The vehicle used in the commission of such offences is liable to be forfeited.
The potential duty and Goods and Services Tax evaded amounted to about S$504,400 and S$50,780 respectively, according to ICA.
ICA stated that it will continue to conduct security checks on passengers and vehicles at the checkpoints to prevent attempts to smuggle in undesirable persons, drugs, weapons, explosives and other contrabands. The same methods of concealment used by contraband smugglers may be used by terrorists to smuggle arms and explosives to carry out attacks in Singapore.
