On 28 June 2018 at about 2am, Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) officers directed an unladen Malaysia-registered cargo truck for checks at Tuas checkpoint arrival zone. During the course of checks, officers found black polythene boxes concealed below the floorboard of the truck. The boxes were later found to contain duty-unpaid cigarettes.

2.         Less than an hour later at 2.50am, ICA officers directed another unladen Malaysia-registered cargo truck for checks and similarly uncovered black polythene packages containing duty-unpaid cigarettes beneath the floorboard.

3.         A total of 7,484 cartons of duty-unpaid cigarettes were uncovered in both vehicles. Both male Malaysian drivers, aged 35 and 42 years old, duty-unpaid cigarettes and vehicles were handed over to Singapore Customs for further investigations. The vehicles used in the commission of such offences is liable to be forfeited. The duty and Goods and Services Tax of the duty-unpaid cigarettes for the two cases amounted to about S$702,927 and S$51,240 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
2 JULY 2018

 
Duty-unpaid cigarettes concealed in the floorboard of the trucks (Photo: ICA)

A total of 7,484 cartons of cigarettes detected in the two vehicles (Photo: ICA)