The weekends are busy periods for the land checkpoints as many families cross the borders for their weekend leisure activities. Syndicates must have thought that families with young children travelling together are less likely to be subjected to security check at the checkpoints. Well, they are in for a surprise as the vigilant Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) officers have seen through their guise and uncover more than a weekend getaway deal for two families.

2. It was Friday, 23 July at about 6.00pm when a green Malaysia-registered car pulled into the Woodlands Checkpoint and was stopped for a routine check. All appear normal as the driver fielded a few routine questions on the family’s travelling plans. However, as the officers attempted to check the car, the driver immediately requested that the officers refrain from checking the rear of the car so as not to disturb his one-year-old daughter sleeping at the rear passenger seat. His defensive demeanor aroused the suspicion of the officers.

3. Unfazed by his hostile behaviour, the officers directed the couple and their two young children to step out of the car and conducted a check on the interior of the car. True to the officers’ instinct, they soon uncovered cartons of contraband cigarettes hidden in the dashboard of the car. Further search yielded more illicit cigarettes in a modified fuel compartment near the rear passenger seats. The 25-year-old Malaysian man was immediately placed under arrest.


The car used in the commission of the offence


Contraband cigarettes hidden in the dashboard and modified fuel tank

4. During preliminary investigation, the Chinese man revealed that he had agreed to the illicit deal to smuggle cigarettes into Singapore as he was facing financial difficulties. He owed loansharks RM50,000 and his wife was unemployed. He was handed the car, which was pre-loaded with the contraband, and was promised S$200 upon successful delivery of the contraband cigarettes. He was also advised by the syndicate members to bring along his family as they mistakenly thought that this would lower the checkpoint officers' guards.

5. A total of 1,054 packets of contraband cigarettes were found stashed in the dash board and the modified fuel compartment. The value of the contraband is estimated to be S$10,500 while the potential Customs duty and GST payable amounted to about S$7,420 and S$660 respectively.

2nd case with a similar modus operandi detected in the next few hours!

6. Shortly after the detection of the first smuggling attempt, at about 8.20pm, another Malaysia-registered car with a family of five was stopped for a routine check when it pulled into the Woodlands Checkpoint. The 37-year-old Malaysian man, his wife and his three young children (aged between one and six years) were directed to leave the car to facilitate security checks. Akin to the earlier case, the officers found cartons of duty unpaid cigarettes stashed in a modified fuel tank of the vehicle. Further checks uncovered more cigarettes hidden within the rear door panels and a modified floorboard of the car.


Innocuous looking car carrying the loot

7. Preliminary investigations revealed that the Chinese man had succumbed to the illicit deal as he had owed the loansharks RM30,000. His car was taken away by the loansharks and subsequently returned to him, loaded with the contraband. He was promised RM500 for the delivery. Like the earlier case, he had brought his family along to divert the authorities’ attention, hoping that the officers will not subject his family to extensive security checks.
 
Contraband cigarettes hidden in modified floorboard and rear right side panel of the car


Contraband cigarettes hidden in modified fuel tank

8. In all, 1233 packets of contraband cigarettes were found hidden in various parts of the vehicle. The total value of the contraband is about S$12,300 while the potential Customs duty and GST payable amounted to about S$8,680 and S$780 respectively.

9. The drivers, the contraband cigarettes and the vehicles in the commission of the offences were handed over to Singapore Customs for investigation. Upon conviction by the court, first time offenders can be fined up to 20 times the amount of duty evaded and are 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 vehicles used in conveying the contraband will also be liable for forfeiture.

10. 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, cargoes and conveyances 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 more sinister attacks in Singapore.


IMMIGRATION & CHECKPOINTS AUTHORITY
27 July 2010