ICA officers cut open car seat; over 700 cartons of duty-unpaid cigarettes found in modified compartments

Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) officers cut open the seat of a Malaysia-registered car during an enhanced check at Woodlands Checkpoint on Aug 10.

Photographs posted by ICA on its Facebook page on Tuesday (Aug 25) show the back of a car seat cut open, revealing cartons of cigarettes hidden inside.

Illegal cartons of cigarettes could also be seen in other compartments such as the car trunk and engine compartment.

ICA said its search and examination officers had directed the vehicle for enhanced checks. 

There, over 700 cartons and more than 100 packets of duty-unpaid cigarettes were found concealed in modified compartments of the vehicle.

The 30-year-old male Malaysian driver was arrested and referred to the Singapore Customs for further investigations. 

Buying, selling, conveying, possessing or 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.

[[nid:743111]]

editor@asiaone.com