Guillemard Road food stall owner among 4 arrested for allegedly peddling duty-unpaid cigarettes

A Guillemard Road food stall holder was arrested for allegedly peddling duty-unpaid cigarettes from his shop following enforcement operations by Singapore Customs. 

In a Facebook post on Friday (May 8), Singapore Customs said it conducted two separate operations, at Circuit Road on April 23 and Guillemard Road on April 29, against peddlers of duty-unpaid cigarettes. 

A 62-year-old Singaporean man, a food stall owner, and his 48-year-old female accomplice were arrested during the Guillemard Road operation for allegedly peddling such cigarettes from his shop.

During the Circuit Road operation, two Singaporean men aged 68 and 70 were arrested for allegedly peddling duty-unpaid cigarettes at a void deck. 

Over 97 cartons and 498 packets of duty-unpaid cigarettes, as well as $875 cash suspected to be proceeds from sales were seized.

The total duty and Goods and Services Tax (GST) evaded amounted to about $19,000. 

One man has been charged in the State Courts while the other three are under investigation. 

Under the Customs Act and the GST Act, buying, selling, conveying, delivering, storing, keeping, possessing or dealing with duty-unpaid goods are considered serious offences.

If found guilty, offenders can be fined up to 40 times the amount of duty evaded and/or jailed for up to six years.

Vehicles used in the commission of such offences and proceeds of sales of duty-unpaid cigarettes are also liable to be forfeited.

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esther.lam@asiaone.com