On 18 May 2018, at about 4.15pm, Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) officers at Tuas checkpoint directed a Malaysia-registered prime mover for checks as ICA officers detected anomalies in the scanned images of the consignment. During the course of checks, ICA officers discovered duty-unpaid cigarettes concealed amongst a consignment of printer parts and roller scanners.

2.         A total of 6,000 cartons of cigarettes were found in the container. The total duty and Goods and Services Tax (GST) evaded amounted to about $512,400 and $37,556 respectively. The 50-year-old male Malaysian driver and the prime mover have been handed over to Singapore Customs for further investigations.

3.         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
21 MAY 2018

 

ANNEX

6,000 cartons of duty-unpaid cigarettes were uncovered in a prime mover on 18 May at Tuas checkpoint (Photo: ICA)

The Malaysia-registered prime mover used to smuggle in the duty-unpaid cigarettes (Photo: ICA)