PUBLISHED ONOctober 17, 2025 12:33 AMBYSean LerImmigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) officers foiled an attempt to smuggle more than 8,000 cartons of duty-unpaid cigarettes into Singapore via Tuas Checkpoint on Sept 27.
In a Facebook post on Thursday (Oct 16), ICA said that anomalies were detected in the vehicle’s scanned images and directed it for additional checks.
Aided by ICA’s Integrated Targeting Centre, officers found more than 8,000 cartons of duty-unpaid cigarettes concealed within the consignment declared as clothes hangars and car rims.
A 38-year-old male Malaysian driver was detained and the case referred to the Singapore Customs for further investigation.
Buying, selling, conveying, delivering, storing, keeping, possessing or dealing with duty-unpaid goods are considered serious offences under the Customs Act and the Goods and Services Tax Act.
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.
On Oct 2, ICA officers foiled a similar attempt to smuggle contraband items into Singapore via consignments of goods on a Malaysia-registered goods vehicle.
More than 4,200 packets of chewing tobacco were found in its consignment of goods declared as mattresses, polyfoam pillows, and plastic roll sheets.
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