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Drugs and Cigarettes Unearthed At Unearthly Hour
It was 5.15am on a Sunday morning, when the smugglers might have thought that the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) was operating at a lower level of vigilance. They were proven wrong of course.
2. In the course of our routine checks, a total of seven packets of duty-unpaid cigarettes were found onboard the Singapore-registered car. The cigarettes were loosely concealed in the driver’s side-door and arm-rest compartments.
3. Unfortunately for the driver and his passengers, the checks did not stop there. When body searches were conducted, a total of 10 tablets in red packaging and some white powder were found concealed in the undergarment of one of the female passengers.
4. When interviewed, the driver, a 26-year-old Singaporean man admitted that the cigarettes belonged to him. The female passenger, a 23-year-old Malaysian, admitted ownership of the suspected controlled substances.
5. The driver was compounded $1,400 by Singapore Customs for failure to declare dutiable cigarettes. Singapore withdrew duty-free privileges on tobacco products, including cigarettes, on 1 January 1991. Members of the public are therefore reminded that there is no tax-free concession on cigarettes and all other tobacco products. Arriving travellers who have small quantities of cigarettes or tobacco products are required to seek clearance and declare the goods for payment of duty and GST. Making a false declaration is a serious offence. Offenders may be fined up to $5,000 or may be prosecuted in court. For a packet of duty-unpaid cigarettes, the offence may be compounded for a minimum of $200 or prosecuted in court. The driver, his three passengers, and the suspected controlled substances were then referred to the Central Narcotics Bureau for further investigations.
6. 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. We would like to advise the public against smuggling unlawful goods into Singapore.
2. In the course of our routine checks, a total of seven packets of duty-unpaid cigarettes were found onboard the Singapore-registered car. The cigarettes were loosely concealed in the driver’s side-door and arm-rest compartments.
3. Unfortunately for the driver and his passengers, the checks did not stop there. When body searches were conducted, a total of 10 tablets in red packaging and some white powder were found concealed in the undergarment of one of the female passengers.
4. When interviewed, the driver, a 26-year-old Singaporean man admitted that the cigarettes belonged to him. The female passenger, a 23-year-old Malaysian, admitted ownership of the suspected controlled substances.
5. The driver was compounded $1,400 by Singapore Customs for failure to declare dutiable cigarettes. Singapore withdrew duty-free privileges on tobacco products, including cigarettes, on 1 January 1991. Members of the public are therefore reminded that there is no tax-free concession on cigarettes and all other tobacco products. Arriving travellers who have small quantities of cigarettes or tobacco products are required to seek clearance and declare the goods for payment of duty and GST. Making a false declaration is a serious offence. Offenders may be fined up to $5,000 or may be prosecuted in court. For a packet of duty-unpaid cigarettes, the offence may be compounded for a minimum of $200 or prosecuted in court. The driver, his three passengers, and the suspected controlled substances were then referred to the Central Narcotics Bureau for further investigations.
6. 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. We would like to advise the public against smuggling unlawful goods into Singapore.