Back to top
8,196 Cartons of Cigarettes Seized by ICA at Tuas Checkpoint
Two weeks after the largest seizure of contraband cigarettes at the land checkpoints, ICA notched another large haul of cigarettes at Tuas checkpoint. An attempt to smuggle a total of 8,196 cartons of contraband cigarettes through Tuas checkpoint was foiled by ICA officers with the help of a radiographic scanner.
2 On 20 Jan 06 at about 0800 hours, the ICA officer manning the VACIS (Vehicle and Cargo Inspection System) at Tuas checkpoint noticed something amiss when she screened the contents of a Malaysia-registered lorry. The lorry was said to be carrying 380 cartons of washing soap powder, but the VACIS images showed that some of the boxes were of a heavier density than the rest. Our officers conducted a thorough check on the contents of the boxes on the lorry. The Malaysian driver was very reluctant and hesitant when he was asked to open up a box placed under other boxes. The 47-year-old man moved very slowly to open the box. When he finally opened it, our officers found that the box contained many cartons of contraband cigarettes. At this juncture, the driver tried to run away.
3 Our officers sprang to action immediately. One of them raised the alarm and another gave chase. This alerted other security officers at the checkpoint. Given the tight security at the checkpoint, the driver could not go far and was soon caught.
4 After a thorough check, ICA officers uncovered a total of 8,196 cartons of contraband cigarettes. The total amount of customs duties and Goods & Services Tax involved is estimated to be S$577,000 and S$37,000 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.
5 ICA has tightened 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 warn the public to think twice before they attempt to smuggle unlawful goods illegally into Singapore as our officers at the checkpoints maintain a high level of vigilance at all times and are trained to profile potential offenders.
2 On 20 Jan 06 at about 0800 hours, the ICA officer manning the VACIS (Vehicle and Cargo Inspection System) at Tuas checkpoint noticed something amiss when she screened the contents of a Malaysia-registered lorry. The lorry was said to be carrying 380 cartons of washing soap powder, but the VACIS images showed that some of the boxes were of a heavier density than the rest. Our officers conducted a thorough check on the contents of the boxes on the lorry. The Malaysian driver was very reluctant and hesitant when he was asked to open up a box placed under other boxes. The 47-year-old man moved very slowly to open the box. When he finally opened it, our officers found that the box contained many cartons of contraband cigarettes. At this juncture, the driver tried to run away.
3 Our officers sprang to action immediately. One of them raised the alarm and another gave chase. This alerted other security officers at the checkpoint. Given the tight security at the checkpoint, the driver could not go far and was soon caught.
4 After a thorough check, ICA officers uncovered a total of 8,196 cartons of contraband cigarettes. The total amount of customs duties and Goods & Services Tax involved is estimated to be S$577,000 and S$37,000 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.
5 ICA has tightened 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 warn the public to think twice before they attempt to smuggle unlawful goods illegally into Singapore as our officers at the checkpoints maintain a high level of vigilance at all times and are trained to profile potential offenders.