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ICA Uncovered Attempt to Smuggle About 12,000 Cartons of Contraband Cigarettes
A smuggler found out this afternoon that they are not just under the watchful eyes of ICA officers when passing through the checkpoints. They also have to contend with a set of powerful ‘eyes’ in the form of the Vehicle and Cargo Inspection System (VACIS) deployed by ICA. Using VACIS, ICA officers ‘saw’ the cartons of contraband cigarettes that were hidden in his lorry without having to conduct a physical inspection of the container.
2 On 2 June 2006 at around 1430 hours, ICA officers deployed at Woodlands checkpoint singled out a Malaysia-registered truck for a thorough check after a radiographic scan had been done on the contents of the truck. ICA officers observed that the gamma-ray image of the vehicle was not consistent with the consignment that was declared as 20 pallets of rubber mats. Our officers proceeded to conduct a physical check on the contents of the truck. After removing the top layers of rubber mats on one of the pallets, our officers discovered cartons of contraband cigarettes hidden beneath the rubber mats. The 24-year-old male Malaysian driver was immediately placed under arrest and the vehicle seized. About 12,000 cartons x 200 sticks of duty-unpaid cigarettes were found hidden on the other pallets on the truck.
3 The total amount of customs duties and Goods & Services Tax involved is estimated to be S$844,700 and S$54,000 respectively. The case has 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.
4 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 contraband items. We would like to advise the public against smuggling unlawful goods into Singapore.
2 On 2 June 2006 at around 1430 hours, ICA officers deployed at Woodlands checkpoint singled out a Malaysia-registered truck for a thorough check after a radiographic scan had been done on the contents of the truck. ICA officers observed that the gamma-ray image of the vehicle was not consistent with the consignment that was declared as 20 pallets of rubber mats. Our officers proceeded to conduct a physical check on the contents of the truck. After removing the top layers of rubber mats on one of the pallets, our officers discovered cartons of contraband cigarettes hidden beneath the rubber mats. The 24-year-old male Malaysian driver was immediately placed under arrest and the vehicle seized. About 12,000 cartons x 200 sticks of duty-unpaid cigarettes were found hidden on the other pallets on the truck.
3 The total amount of customs duties and Goods & Services Tax involved is estimated to be S$844,700 and S$54,000 respectively. The case has 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.
4 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 contraband items. We would like to advise the public against smuggling unlawful goods into Singapore.