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12 men were arrested and over 11,900 cartons of duty-unpaid cigarettes seized in three separate operations conducted in industrial premises in Tuas in November 2018.
The Singapore Customs (SC) reveals in a press release on Wednesday (28 November) that its officers raided a yard in Tuas Avenue 14 and saw four men retrieving duty-unpaid cigarettes that were hidden in eight concrete slabs and loading them onto a lorry on 24 November 2018. The four men – an Indonesian, a Malaysian, and two Singaporeans – were arrested.
and arrested four men who were retrieving duty-unpaid cigarettes that were hidden in
concrete slabs and loading them onto a lorry (Source: Singapore Customs).
According to the authority, a total of 4,148 cartons of duty-unpaid cigarettes and a lorry were seized in this operation.
Court proceedings against the four men are ongoing.
In a separate operation on 7 November 2018, Singapore Customs officers uncovered duty-unpaid cigarettes hidden in six excavator arms in an industrial unit in Tuas South Street 1. Two Malaysian men, who had assisted in moving the excavator arms containing duty-unpaid cigarettes into the unit, were arrested. Three other Malaysian men were arrested in a follow-up operation.
industrial unit in Tuas South Street 1. Five Malaysian men were arrested. A total of
5,431 cartons and 29 packets of duty-unpaid cigarettes and a van were seized (Source: Singapore Customs).
The operation resulted in the seizure of a total of 5,431 cartons and 29 packets of duty-unpaid cigarettes and a van. Court proceedings against four of the men are ongoing, while investigations are ongoing for the fifth man.
In another operation on 2 November 2018, three Singaporean men were arrested in an industrial unit in Tuas South Avenue 3. The three men were
retrieving the duty-unpaid cigarettes, which were hidden in concrete slabs, when Singapore Customs officers raided the unit.
arrested three Singaporean men in an industrial unit in Tuas South Avenue 3. The three
men were retrieving the duty-unpaid cigarettes, which were hidden in concrete slabs (Source: Singapore Customs).
A total of 2,400 cartons of duty-unpaid cigarettes were seized in the operation. Court proceedings against the three men are ongoing.
The authority stated that the total of 11,979 cartons and 29 packets of duty-unpaid cigarettes were seized in the three operations. The duty and Goods and Services Tax (GST) evaded amounted to about $1,074,390 and $78,520 respectively.
"We advise owners and managing agents of industrial premises to exercise due diligence to prevent their premises from being used by syndicates for duty-unpaid cigarette activities," said Assistant Director-General (Intelligence & Investigation) Yeo Sew Meng.
"They should strengthen access controls at their premises and also look out for red flags such as persons seeking to rent the premises on a short-term basis, paying cash, and not being able to provide a credible business purpose for the rental," he added.
Buying, selling, conveying, delivering, storing, keeping, having in possession or dealing with duty-unpaid goods are serious offences under the Customs Act and the GST Act. 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 the commission of such offences are also liable to be forfeited.