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SINCE January, Cisco officers have been deployed to the Yew Tee area to help curb the cigarette smuggling situation there.
They're armed and have the support of officers from Singapore Customs on a 24-7 basis to further enhance enforcement presence in the vicinity.
The officers patrol the area and nab both buyers and illegal peddlers.
As peddlers are mostly illegal immigrants, Singapore Customs is working closely with other related agencies to step up enforcement action.
In a statement, Singapore Customs says it takes a serious view against motorists including taxi drivers who stop along the road to buy cigarettes from illegal peddlers.
If caught, they can be fined $500 for each packet of illegal cigarettes found. The offenders will also be referred to the Traffic Police.
Singapore Customs says so far, the various measures taken against cigarette smuggling have shown some success.
In 2007, 4.4 million packets of duty-unpaid cigarettes were seized and over 23,000 offenders caught.
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