Back to top
Cigarettes Found In Secret Compartments
If you ask an Ah Beng what can be found in secret compartments, he would tell you, “Cigarettes lah! Of course ‘cigarette’ compartments keep cigarettes!” Well, he may have mistaken ‘cigarette’ for ‘secret’, but he is right on this occasion. On 23 Aug 06, 5,997 cartons of contraband cigarettes were found hidden in various secret compartments of two private buses at Tuas checkpoint.
2 On 23 Aug 06 at about 1730 hours, two Singapore-registered private buses were stopped at the Arrival Bus Concourse at Tuas checkpoint for a routine check. In the course of their checks, ICA officers detected secret compartments in the luggage compartments of the two buses. Cartons of contraband cigarettes were found hidden in the secret compartments. The officers conducted a thorough check and found more contraband cigarettes hidden in the wheel-arcs of both the front and back wheels of the two buses. The two male Singaporean private bus drivers, aged 29 and 37, were immediately placed under arrest and the buses seized.
3 Preliminary investigations revealed that the 29-year-old driver was promised S$1,500 to drive the bus to a carpark at Thomson Road. The 37-year-old driver claimed that he was promised S$500 to drive the bus to Tuas.
4 The total amount of customs duties and Goods & Services Tax involved is estimated to be S$422,000 and S$27,600 respectively. The two cases have been referred to Singapore Customs for further investigation. 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.
5 Being the guardian of Singapore’s checkpoints, ICA is acutely aware that our borders are the first line of defence in safeguarding Singapore’s security against possible terrorist attacks. The increased security checks at all our checkpoints are critical to our nation’s security, especially since terrorism remains a clear and present threat to Singapore. ICA now conducts 100 per cent checks on persons, cargo and conveyances that pass through our checkpoints. These enhanced security checks have been effective in helping to detect cases of smuggling illegal goods and illegal immigrants. We would like to advise the public against smuggling unlawful goods and persons into and out of Singapore.
2 On 23 Aug 06 at about 1730 hours, two Singapore-registered private buses were stopped at the Arrival Bus Concourse at Tuas checkpoint for a routine check. In the course of their checks, ICA officers detected secret compartments in the luggage compartments of the two buses. Cartons of contraband cigarettes were found hidden in the secret compartments. The officers conducted a thorough check and found more contraband cigarettes hidden in the wheel-arcs of both the front and back wheels of the two buses. The two male Singaporean private bus drivers, aged 29 and 37, were immediately placed under arrest and the buses seized.
3 Preliminary investigations revealed that the 29-year-old driver was promised S$1,500 to drive the bus to a carpark at Thomson Road. The 37-year-old driver claimed that he was promised S$500 to drive the bus to Tuas.
4 The total amount of customs duties and Goods & Services Tax involved is estimated to be S$422,000 and S$27,600 respectively. The two cases have been referred to Singapore Customs for further investigation. 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.
5 Being the guardian of Singapore’s checkpoints, ICA is acutely aware that our borders are the first line of defence in safeguarding Singapore’s security against possible terrorist attacks. The increased security checks at all our checkpoints are critical to our nation’s security, especially since terrorism remains a clear and present threat to Singapore. ICA now conducts 100 per cent checks on persons, cargo and conveyances that pass through our checkpoints. These enhanced security checks have been effective in helping to detect cases of smuggling illegal goods and illegal immigrants. We would like to advise the public against smuggling unlawful goods and persons into and out of Singapore.