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More Than 250kg Of Chewing Tobacco Seized From Cargo Conveyances Over The Long Christmas Weekend
Over the long Christmas weekend, officers at the Tuas checkpoint successfully foiled two attempts to smuggle duty-unpaid chewing tobacco into Singapore by hiding the contraband in cargo conveyances. A total of 28,769 sachets weighing more than 250 kg were seized.
Case 1: Chewing tobacco seized from trailer cabin on Christmas Eve
2. On 24 December 2015 at about 10.00am, a Malaysia-registered trailer driven by a lone 51-year-old male Malaysian was directed for further checks upon arrival at Tuas Checkpoint. The trailer was conveying two empty chemical bowsers. During the course of inspection, officers found 18,002 sachets of duty-unpaid chewing tobacco, weighing approximately 162kg, wrapped in black and white plastic bags in the sleeping compartment behind the driver seat.
Case 2: Chewing tobacco seized from modified compartment under floorboard of lorry on Boxing Day
3. Two days later, on 26 December at about 4.15pm, officers at the Tuas checkpoint directed an empty Malaysia-registered lorry driven by a lone 37-year-old male Malaysian for further checks upon its arrival. During the course of checks, officers found duty-unpaid chewing tobacco hidden in a modified compartment under the floorboard of the lorry. A total of 10,767 sachets of chewing tobacco weighing approximately 97kg, were seized.
4. The total duty and Goods and Services Tax (GST) evaded for the two cases amounted to approximately $77,420 and $5420 respectively. The subjects, duty-unpaid chewing tobacco and vehicles for both cases were handed over to the Singapore Customs for investigations. The vehicles used in the commission of such offences are liable to be forfeited. Investigations are ongoing for both subjects.
5. Our borders are our first line of defence in safeguarding Singapore's security. The security checks are critical to our nation’s security. The ICA will continue to conduct security checks on passengers and vehicles at the checkpoints to prevent attempts to smuggle in undesirable persons, drugs, weapons, explosives and other contrabands. The same methods of concealment used by contraband smugglers may be used by terrorists to smuggle arms and explosives to carry out attacks in Singapore.
IMMIGRATION & CHECKPOINTS AUTHORITY
27 DECEMBER 2015
Case 1: Chewing tobacco seized from trailer cabin on Christmas Eve
2. On 24 December 2015 at about 10.00am, a Malaysia-registered trailer driven by a lone 51-year-old male Malaysian was directed for further checks upon arrival at Tuas Checkpoint. The trailer was conveying two empty chemical bowsers. During the course of inspection, officers found 18,002 sachets of duty-unpaid chewing tobacco, weighing approximately 162kg, wrapped in black and white plastic bags in the sleeping compartment behind the driver seat.
Case 2: Chewing tobacco seized from modified compartment under floorboard of lorry on Boxing Day
3. Two days later, on 26 December at about 4.15pm, officers at the Tuas checkpoint directed an empty Malaysia-registered lorry driven by a lone 37-year-old male Malaysian for further checks upon its arrival. During the course of checks, officers found duty-unpaid chewing tobacco hidden in a modified compartment under the floorboard of the lorry. A total of 10,767 sachets of chewing tobacco weighing approximately 97kg, were seized.
4. The total duty and Goods and Services Tax (GST) evaded for the two cases amounted to approximately $77,420 and $5420 respectively. The subjects, duty-unpaid chewing tobacco and vehicles for both cases were handed over to the Singapore Customs for investigations. The vehicles used in the commission of such offences are liable to be forfeited. Investigations are ongoing for both subjects.
5. Our borders are our first line of defence in safeguarding Singapore's security. The security checks are critical to our nation’s security. The ICA will continue to conduct security checks on passengers and vehicles at the checkpoints to prevent attempts to smuggle in undesirable persons, drugs, weapons, explosives and other contrabands. The same methods of concealment used by contraband smugglers may be used by terrorists to smuggle arms and explosives to carry out attacks in Singapore.
IMMIGRATION & CHECKPOINTS AUTHORITY
27 DECEMBER 2015