SINGAPORE : A 28-year-old Malaysian driver was caught trying to smuggle contraband cigarettes into Singapore on Friday afternoon.

The unpaid duty is estimated at about S$290,000 while the GST on it is S$26,000.

The contraband cigarettes were hidden in 22 pallets of bricks on a Malaysian-registered lorry.

An Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) officer manning the radiographic scanner at the Woodlands Checkpoint noticed anomalies in the pallets of bricks. Upon inspection, ICA officers found contraband cigarettes hidden within.

The driver admitted knowledge of the cigarettes and said he was promised RM4,000 for the job. He said he had collected the cargo together with the cigarettes from Johor and was supposed to await further instructions if he arrived in Singapore successfully.

The case has been referred to Singapore customs for further investigation.

Anyone convicted of such offence can be fined a maximum of 20 times the amount of duty evaded if he is a first offender. Subsequent offenders can be jailed for up to two years and fined. Offenders also face further fines based on the GST evaded.

This is the second time this year that contraband cigarettes were smuggled using bricks to conceal them.

ICA said that on March 15 this year, a similar smuggling attempt involving almost 2,000 cartons of cigarettes hidden under false floorboards was foiled. - CNA /ls