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A New Crossbreed - Chewy Puffs
Riddle : What do you get when you cross cigarettes with chewing tobacco?
Answer : That’s right! Chewy puffs!
On 17 March 2011, at about 9.15am, a Malaysia-registered bonded truck went through the radiographic scanner of Tuas Checkpoint as part of the arrival checks. In spite of the endless flow of vehicles passing through the checkpoint during the morning peak periods, the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) officers were undaunted and continued to maintain their vigilance. In the course of scanning the truck, said to be conveying 220 pieces of air-con components, the sharp officers observed some anomalies in the scanned images and directed it for detailed inspection.
2 The team of officers tasked to conduct the check meticulously searched through the conveyance and soon, found carton boxes placed beside the pallets of declared consignment. Pumped with adrenaline on their find, they went through each and every carton. Their tireless efforts uncovered over 600,000 sticks of illegal smokes and more than 120 kilogrammes of duty-unpaid chewing tobacco. The customs duty and GST evaded on the contraband amounted to about $260,000. With our trained expertise in analysing the scanned images and doggedness in sieving out the illicit items, the smugglers’ bid to crossbreed “chewy puffs” was nipped before they had a chance to bud!
From top to bottom right: The undeclared cartons amongst the consignment, illegal smokes and contraband chewing tobacco
3 When interviewed, the Malaysian Indian driver confessed that he took up the smuggling job as he wanted to make more money. A fellow lorry driver had introduced him to a Malaysian Chinese known as “Ah Chye” who offered him RM7000 for the successful delivery of the contraband. Once he had successfully bootlegged the loot into Singapore, he was to wait outside Tuas Checkpoint for a vehicle to escort him to an area for unloading the illegal smokes.
4 The 34-year-old driver is assisting Singapore Customs (SC) in the investigation of this case. The contraband cigarettes, lorry and cargo have been handed over to SC. Upon conviction by the court, first time offenders can be fined up to 20 times the amount of duty evaded and liable to 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 vehicle used in conveying the contraband will also be liable for forfeiture.
5 Our borders are our first line of defence in safeguarding Singapore's security. The enhanced security checks are critical to our nation’s security. The same methods of concealment used by contraband smugglers may be used by terrorists to smuggle arms and explosives so as to carry out sinister attacks in Singapore. ICA has tightened the security checks on passengers, cargoes and conveyances at the checkpoints to prevent attempts to smuggle in undesirable persons, drugs, weapons, explosives and other contrabands.
IMMIGRATION & CHECKPOINTS AUTHORITY
18 MARCH 2011
Answer : That’s right! Chewy puffs!
On 17 March 2011, at about 9.15am, a Malaysia-registered bonded truck went through the radiographic scanner of Tuas Checkpoint as part of the arrival checks. In spite of the endless flow of vehicles passing through the checkpoint during the morning peak periods, the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) officers were undaunted and continued to maintain their vigilance. In the course of scanning the truck, said to be conveying 220 pieces of air-con components, the sharp officers observed some anomalies in the scanned images and directed it for detailed inspection.
2 The team of officers tasked to conduct the check meticulously searched through the conveyance and soon, found carton boxes placed beside the pallets of declared consignment. Pumped with adrenaline on their find, they went through each and every carton. Their tireless efforts uncovered over 600,000 sticks of illegal smokes and more than 120 kilogrammes of duty-unpaid chewing tobacco. The customs duty and GST evaded on the contraband amounted to about $260,000. With our trained expertise in analysing the scanned images and doggedness in sieving out the illicit items, the smugglers’ bid to crossbreed “chewy puffs” was nipped before they had a chance to bud!
From top to bottom right: The undeclared cartons amongst the consignment, illegal smokes and contraband chewing tobacco
3 When interviewed, the Malaysian Indian driver confessed that he took up the smuggling job as he wanted to make more money. A fellow lorry driver had introduced him to a Malaysian Chinese known as “Ah Chye” who offered him RM7000 for the successful delivery of the contraband. Once he had successfully bootlegged the loot into Singapore, he was to wait outside Tuas Checkpoint for a vehicle to escort him to an area for unloading the illegal smokes.
4 The 34-year-old driver is assisting Singapore Customs (SC) in the investigation of this case. The contraband cigarettes, lorry and cargo have been handed over to SC. Upon conviction by the court, first time offenders can be fined up to 20 times the amount of duty evaded and liable to 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 vehicle used in conveying the contraband will also be liable for forfeiture.
5 Our borders are our first line of defence in safeguarding Singapore's security. The enhanced security checks are critical to our nation’s security. The same methods of concealment used by contraband smugglers may be used by terrorists to smuggle arms and explosives so as to carry out sinister attacks in Singapore. ICA has tightened the security checks on passengers, cargoes and conveyances at the checkpoints to prevent attempts to smuggle in undesirable persons, drugs, weapons, explosives and other contrabands.
IMMIGRATION & CHECKPOINTS AUTHORITY
18 MARCH 2011