On 13 October 2017 at about 9.45pm, Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) officers directed an arriving Malaysia-registered prime mover, driven by a lone 39-year-old male Malaysian, for further checks at the Tuas checkpoint. The officers had noticed anomalies in the scanned image of the empty fuel bowser which was towed by the prime mover.

2.       During the course of inspection, ICA officers found 2,190 cartons and 202 packets of duty-unpaid cigarettes concealed in a modified compartment at the base of the fuel bowser. The driver, duty-unpaid cigarettes, and the vehicle were handed over to Singapore Customs for further investigation. The vehicle used in the commission of such offences is liable to be forfeited.

3.       The potential duty and Goods and Services Tax of the duty-unpaid cigarettes amounted to about S$171,500 and S$12,710 respectively.

4.       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 undesirable persons, drugs, weapons, explosives and other contraband.  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
16 OCTOBER 2017

 

Empty fuel bowser towed by a prime mover found with duty-unpaid cigarettes (Photo: ICA)

Duty-unpaid cigarettes found within the modified compartment at the base of the fuel bowser (Photo: ICA)

Duty-unpaid cigarettes seized (Photo: ICA)