More than 3,000 cartons of contraband cigarettes seized at Woodlands Checkpoint
SINGAPORE – Officers of the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) found 3,346 cartons of duty-unpaid cigarettes in a lorry as it tried to enter Singapore via the Woodlands Checkpoint at 5pm on Friday (May 6).
The Malaysia-registered lorry was carrying a consignment declared to contain 100 rolls of “Single-Face Roll Paper”. But when the vehicle was sent for further checks, the ICA officers found the cartons of cigarettes, which were concealed in a modified compartment on the roof of the lorry.
The Malaysian driver, a 39-year-old Malaysian man, along with the contraband cigarettes and lorry were sent to the Singapore Customs for further investigations. The lorry is liable to be forfeited.
“The potential duty and Goods and Services Tax of the contraband cigarettes amounted to S$259,650 and S$26,140 respectively,” ICA said.
The ICA also said that they will continue to conduct security checks at the checkpoints as “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”.
