Officers from the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) discovered a total of 50,988 packets of contraband cigarettes in a Malaysia-registered truck on Monday.

On 2 Nov, at about 1pm, the truck was stopped for a routine check at the Old Woodlands Checkpoint where the officers did an image scan. They detected anomalies in the vehicle which was conveying one consignment of "One set of Food Production Cold Room". It was then subjected to a more thorough examination.

The consignment was made up of thick insulating materials used for cold rooms, with each panel welded with a metal sheet.

Officers suspected that the anomalies detected at the earlier image scanning could be due to something concealed within the panels, beneath the metal sheets. They decided to pry open all the 31 panels with crowbars.

They uncovered a heap of duty-unpaid cigarettes that lay within the cavity of the insulation materials.

A total of 50,988 packets of contraband cigarettes were recovered - all except one panel that was only a metal refrigerator door.

The potential Customs duty and GST payable of the contrabands amount to about S$359,000 and S$32,500 respectively.

Photo: ICA

When questioned by the ICA officers, the 36-year old driver claimed that he was asked by his boss, a Malaysian Chinese, to drive the truck from Johor Bahru to Pandan Loop.

He also maintained that the vehicle belonged to his boss whom he called "Uncle"; and had only worked for a week.

Someone was to meet him in Singapore to unload the consignment before he returned the truck in Johor Bahru. where he would be paid RM100 (S$40.88).

The driver, contraband cigarettes, truck and cargo were later handed over for further investigations.

Upon conviction by the court, first time offenders can be fined up to 20 times the amount of duty evaded and liable to a jail term not exceeding three years. For second or subsequent convictions, offenders can be fined up to 40 times the amount of duty evaded and jailed for up to six years. The offenders also face further fines based on the amount of GST evaded. The vehicle used in conveying the contraband will also be liable for forfeiture.