PUBLISHED ONAugust 18, 2026 2:47 AMBYSean LerA total of 81,750 cartons of counterfeit cigarettes were uncovered at a warehouse unit within the Changi Free Trade Zone (FTZ) during an inspection by Singapore Customs. The cigarettes were subsequently seized, after trademark proprietors confirmed they were fake.
In a news release on Tuesday (Aug 18), Singapore Customs said the seizure stemmed from an inspection conducted on June 9, when officers checked a consignment declared as cigarettes under a transhipment permit destined for Mexico.
Free Trade Zones (FTZs) in Singapore are designated economic areas that provide advantageous customs and tax conditions to businesses operating within them.
In Singapore's nine FTZs, Goods and Services Tax (GST) and customs duties are suspended on goods stored, processed or handled within them; unless such goods leave the FTZ and enter the local market for sale or consumption.
During the inspection, officers found cigarettes of assorted brands packed in cardboard boxes and wrapped in black and green packaging.
Suspecting the cigarettes were counterfeit, the officers contacted the respective trademark proprietors.
Following an inspection, the proprietors later confirmed that the cigarettes were counterfeit.
The counterfeit cigarettes were seized and will be disposed of, after the trademark proprietors have completed their respective infringement actions.
“Singapore Customs does not condone the use of our Free Trade Zones for illicit activities.
"We will continue to work actively with local partner agencies and international counterparts to stamp out such illicit activities," said a Singapore Customs spokesperson.
Counterfeit cigarettes may also pose health risks.
Compared with legal cigarettes, fake cigarettes can contain five times more cadmium, six times more lead, 160 per cent more tar and 133 per cent more carbon monoxide, according to studies referenced in an ICC article, which cited a report by Canada's Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
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