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Celebrating Christmas with delectable log cakes is a gastronomic tradition. Cutting up the log cakes usually reveals the spongy cake roll hidden underneath the thick layers of icing.
However, ICA officers at Woodlands Checkpoint hit bakery bizarre when they drilled down to the core of a consignment of neatly stacked logs and found cigarettes instead.
On 23 December, a Malaysia-registered lorry driven by a male Malaysian arrived at the cargo complex of Woodlands Checkpoint.
The consignment was declared as mixed hardwood sawn timber which was to be delivered to a specific venue at Defu Lane.
The timber strips were packed closely together, revealing no gaps or crevices to suggest that there were illicit items hidden within.
Nevertheless, the officers on the ground insisted on conducting a thorough check of the tightly packed timber.
During the course of the checks, ICA officers uncovered what was the largest haul of contraband cigarettes for this year - a grand total of 8, 110 cartons! The potential Customs duty and GST payable for the contrabands amount to about S$571,000 and S$51,700 respectively.
The case was referred to Singapore Customs for further investigations.
Upon conviction by the court, first time offenders can be fined up to a maximum of 20 times the amount of duty evaded. For second or subsequent convictions, offenders can be jailed for up to two years, as well as being fined.
The offenders also face further fines based on the amount of GST evaded. The lorry used in conveying this contraband will also be liable for forfeiture.
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