ICA officers seize 4,500 cartons of duty-unpaid cigarettes hidden beneath concrete piles in lorry; Malaysian driver arrested

Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) officers foiled an attempt to smuggle duty-unpaid cigarettes into Singapore via a Malaysia-registered lorry at Tuas Checkpoint earlier this month.

A video posted by the authority on Tuesday (Sept 15) shows ICA search and examination officers using lashing straps to pull out cartons of duty-unpaid cigarettes hidden beneath concrete piles.

The contraband was wrapped in black plastic before being concealed underneath the piles.

According to ICA, the Malaysia-registered lorry was directed for enhanced checks after anomalies were detected in screened images of the vehicle.

During the checks, search and examination officers found a total of 4,500 cartons of duty-unpaid cigarettes.

@asiaone A 26-year-old male Malaysian was arrested in connection with the case after a total of 4,500 cartons of duty-unpaid cigarettes were found. #sgnews #Singapore #Malaysia #Border #Smuggle #Crime ♬ original sound - AsiaOne

A 26-year-old Malaysian man was arrested in connection with the case, which was referred to Singapore Customs for further investigation.

Buying, selling, conveying, possessing and dealing with duty-unpaid goods are serious offences under the Customs Act and the Goods and Services Tax Act. 

Offenders can be fined up to 40 times the amount of duty and GST evaded, jailed for up to six years, or both. 

Vehicles used to commit such offences, as well as proceeds from the sale of duty-unpaid goods, may also be forfeited.

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editor@asiaone.com