More than 3,000 cartons of duty-unpaid cigarettes found hidden in prime mover and bus at Tuas Checkpoint

More than 3,000 cartons of duty-unpaid cigarettes concealed in an arriving Malaysia-registered prime mover and bus at Tuas Checkpoint were uncovered within a span of three days, on 12 and 14 October 2019. Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) stated in a press release on Wednesday (16 October) that in the first case detected on 12 October at about 9.50 am, a total of 925 cartons of duty-unpaid cigarettes were found concealed in the modified compartment underneath the floorboard of the Malaysia-registered bus. According to ICA, the bus was driven by a 28-year-old male Malaysian and was ferrying several passengers into Singapore.

In the second case detected on 14 October at about 1.40am, 2,278 cartons of duty-unpaid cigarettes were found hidden in the modified roof compartment of an empty container. The prime mover was driven by a 29-year-old Malaysian man.

ICA said that both drivers were immediately placed under arrest and the cases were handed over to the Singapore Customs for further investigation. The total duty and Goods and Services Tax (GST) for the two cases amounts to a total of about $291,470 and $21,400 respectively. Both drivers have been charged in court, it added.