Back to top
ICA Scored With Largest Haul Of Contraband Cigarettes
The Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) scored big as the ICA analysts at the Pasir Panjang Scanning Station (PPSS) were spot on. Equipped with their expertise, sharp skills and keen eye for details, the ICA officers were rewarded with a record seizure of contraband cigarettes! The seizure was not only the largest for this year; it was a large haul not seen for the past five years!
2. On Wednesday, 18 May 2011 at about 8pm, a 40-footer container arrived at the Pasir Panjang Scanning Station for clearance. The innocuous-looking consignment was declared to contain ‘general cargo’ and had a ‘Scan and Seal’ status. This indicates that the cargo was on trans-shipment, bound for the Keppel Free Trade zone. As part of routine checks, the officers directed the cargo for radiographic scanning and meticulously checked that the seal was intact. Was there anything suspicious about the cargo?
Seal was intact. Was there anything wrong?
3. At a glance, everything seems to be in order. However, it did not take long before the experienced ICA analysts detect that the scanned image was inconsistent with the goods declared in the permit. The officers smelled a rat and proceeded to conduct physical checks. Their instincts were proven correct when they were greeted with cartons of contraband cigarettes as they opened up the plain-looking brown boxes.
4. The officers’ efforts were rewarded with the largest recovery of contraband cigarettes in 5 years – 412,000 packets of duty-unpaid cigarettes! The estimated street value of the duty-unpaid cigarettes is worth a whopping $4.12 million. The evaded duty and GST involved amounted to about $2.9 million and $275,000 respectively.
Officers greeted with boxes and boxes of contraband cigarettes
Largest haul of contraband cigarettes seized
5. Singapore Customs has taken over the case for further investigations. Upon conviction by the court, first time offenders can be fined up to 20 times the amount of duty evaded and liable for a jail term not exceeding three years. For second or subsequent convictions, offenders can be fined up to 40 times the amount of duty evaded and jailed for up to six years. The offenders also face further fines based on the amount of GST evaded. The conveyances used in transporting the contraband will also be liable for forfeiture.
6. Our borders are our first line of defence in safeguarding Singapore's security. The enhanced security checks are critical to our nation’s security. We have tightened our 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
20 May 2011
2. On Wednesday, 18 May 2011 at about 8pm, a 40-footer container arrived at the Pasir Panjang Scanning Station for clearance. The innocuous-looking consignment was declared to contain ‘general cargo’ and had a ‘Scan and Seal’ status. This indicates that the cargo was on trans-shipment, bound for the Keppel Free Trade zone. As part of routine checks, the officers directed the cargo for radiographic scanning and meticulously checked that the seal was intact. Was there anything suspicious about the cargo?
Seal was intact. Was there anything wrong?
3. At a glance, everything seems to be in order. However, it did not take long before the experienced ICA analysts detect that the scanned image was inconsistent with the goods declared in the permit. The officers smelled a rat and proceeded to conduct physical checks. Their instincts were proven correct when they were greeted with cartons of contraband cigarettes as they opened up the plain-looking brown boxes.
4. The officers’ efforts were rewarded with the largest recovery of contraband cigarettes in 5 years – 412,000 packets of duty-unpaid cigarettes! The estimated street value of the duty-unpaid cigarettes is worth a whopping $4.12 million. The evaded duty and GST involved amounted to about $2.9 million and $275,000 respectively.
Officers greeted with boxes and boxes of contraband cigarettes
Largest haul of contraband cigarettes seized
5. Singapore Customs has taken over the case for further investigations. Upon conviction by the court, first time offenders can be fined up to 20 times the amount of duty evaded and liable for a jail term not exceeding three years. For second or subsequent convictions, offenders can be fined up to 40 times the amount of duty evaded and jailed for up to six years. The offenders also face further fines based on the amount of GST evaded. The conveyances used in transporting the contraband will also be liable for forfeiture.
6. Our borders are our first line of defence in safeguarding Singapore's security. The enhanced security checks are critical to our nation’s security. We have tightened our 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
20 May 2011