On 7 April 2017 at about 3.30pm, a Singapore-registered car was directed for further checks by officers from the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) upon arrival at the Woodlands Checkpoint.

2.         During the course of checks, the ICA officers detected duty-unpaid cigarettes hidden in the engine compartment of the vehicle. More duty-unpaid cigarettes were found in the front and rear bumpers, dashboard, modified spare tyre compartment and rear door panels of the vehicle. The 44-year-old male Singaporean driver, along with the exhibits and vehicle were handed over to the Singapore Customs for further investigations.

3.         A total of 322 cartons and 879 packets of duty-unpaid cigarettes were seized. The potential duty and Goods and Services Tax of the duty-unpaid cigarettes evaded amounted to about $34,360 and $2,530 respectively.

4.         Our borders are our first line of defence in safeguarding Singapore's safety and 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
11 APRIL 2017


ICA Photos

Duty-unpaid cigarettes hidden in various compartments of the vehicle.