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Half-baked Measures = A Recipe for Failure
The recipe could have read, “mix 100 boxes of tissue paper with 100 boxes of cigarettes…” Unfortunately, it turned out to be a half-baked plan.
2. On 7 March 2007 at around 8.30am, a Malaysian-registered lorry was declared to be carrying 200 boxes of facial tissues. But the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) officer manning the radiographic scanner knew better. Seeing anomalies in the scanned image of the cargo, he immediately alerted his colleagues to conduct further checks. The checks confirmed his suspicions. After opening two boxes amongst the consignment, duty-unpaid cigarettes were found. The boxes containing the cigarettes were covered with a layer of carbon paper. Under the carbon paper was another layer of vanguard sheet. The purpose of the double-wrapping was probably to thwart the radiographic scanner. But it turned out that the smuggler was just wasting his time.
3. The driver, a 30-year-old Malaysian male was immediately placed under arrest.
4. A total of 4,998 cartons of duty-unpaid cigarettes were retrieved from the lorry. The total Customs duties and GST involved are estimated to be $351,600 and $22,500 respectively. The estimated market value of the cigarettes is $449,820.
5. The case has been handed over to Singapore Customs for further investigations.
Related penalties
6. Upon conviction by the court, first time offenders can be fined up to a maximum of 20 times the amount of duty evaded. For second or subsequent convictions, offenders can be jailed for up to two years, as well as being fined. The offenders also face further fines based on the amount of GST evaded.
Security at our checkpoints
7. As our country's first line of defence against terrorist threats, ICA has a duty to ensure the security and safety of Singapore. 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 contraband. 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. We would like to advise the public against smuggling unlawful goods into Singapore.
2. On 7 March 2007 at around 8.30am, a Malaysian-registered lorry was declared to be carrying 200 boxes of facial tissues. But the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) officer manning the radiographic scanner knew better. Seeing anomalies in the scanned image of the cargo, he immediately alerted his colleagues to conduct further checks. The checks confirmed his suspicions. After opening two boxes amongst the consignment, duty-unpaid cigarettes were found. The boxes containing the cigarettes were covered with a layer of carbon paper. Under the carbon paper was another layer of vanguard sheet. The purpose of the double-wrapping was probably to thwart the radiographic scanner. But it turned out that the smuggler was just wasting his time.
3. The driver, a 30-year-old Malaysian male was immediately placed under arrest.
4. A total of 4,998 cartons of duty-unpaid cigarettes were retrieved from the lorry. The total Customs duties and GST involved are estimated to be $351,600 and $22,500 respectively. The estimated market value of the cigarettes is $449,820.
5. The case has been handed over to Singapore Customs for further investigations.
Related penalties
6. Upon conviction by the court, first time offenders can be fined up to a maximum of 20 times the amount of duty evaded. For second or subsequent convictions, offenders can be jailed for up to two years, as well as being fined. The offenders also face further fines based on the amount of GST evaded.
Security at our checkpoints
7. As our country's first line of defence against terrorist threats, ICA has a duty to ensure the security and safety of Singapore. 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 contraband. 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. We would like to advise the public against smuggling unlawful goods into Singapore.