On 16 March 2015, at about 5.45 am, the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) officers directed a Malaysia-registered trailer for routine checks upon arrival at the Tuas Checkpoint. The trailer, driven by a lone male Malaysian, aged 46 years old, was conveying pre-cast concrete. ICA officers conducted a thorough search of the trailer and uncovered two big black trash bags concealed in the tool storage compartment. The bags contained 8,220 sachets of “Hans Chhap” chewing tobacco. The potential duty and GST for the duty-unpaid chewing tobacco amounted to about $22,120 and S$1,540 respectively.



 
Chewing tobacco uncovered at the tool storage compartment of a trailer

2.         Less than an hour later at about 6.15 am, over at the Woodlands Checkpoint, a 42-year-old lone male Malaysian was directed by ICA officers for checks upon arrival.  Officers had discovered anomalies in the scanned image and directed the Malaysia-registered lorry for further inspection. The consignment was declared to be rear seat cushions and vehicle seats.

3.         During the course of checks, our officers uncovered 1,549 cartons of duty-unpaid cigarettes in sealed packages surrounded by the consignment. The duty and GST of the duty unpaid cigarettes amounted to about S$120,200 and S$11,470 respectively.

Contraband cigarettes in sealed packages found in the lorry

4.         The drivers, exhibits and vehicles for both cases were handed over to Singapore Customs for further investigations. The vehicles used in the commission of such offences are liable to be forfeited. Investigations are ongoing.

5.         Our borders are our first line of defence in safeguarding Singapore's security. The security checks are critical to our nation’s security.  We 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

17 MARCH 2015