On 29 August 2019 at about 5.45am, Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) officers at Tuas Checkpoint, in collaboration with Singapore Customs, stopped an arriving Malaysia-registered lorry for further checks.

2.         During the course of checks, the vigilant ICA officers uncovered a total of 5,599 cartons and 9 packets of assorted duty-unpaid cigarettes, hidden in boxes and concealed in the cargo of fibre sponge mattresses. The 30-year-old male Malaysian driver was immediately placed under arrest and the case was handed over to Singapore Customs for further investigation.

3.         The total duty and Goods and Services Tax (GST) evaded amounted to about $540,570 and $39,560 respectively. Investigations are ongoing.

4.         Safeguarding Singapore’s borders remains ICA’s top priority. 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. ICA will continue to conduct security checks on passengers, cargos and vehicles at the checkpoints to prevent attempts to smuggle undesirable persons, drugs, weapons, explosives and other contrabands across our borders.

IMMIGRATION & CHECKPOINTS AUTHORITY
30 AUGUST 2019

Photos

Malaysia-registered lorry used to smuggle the duty-unpaid cigarettes. (Photo: ICA)


Fibre sponge mattresses used to conceal the duty-unpaid cigarettes. (Photo: ICA)


Duty-unpaid cigarettes wrapped in black thrash bags hidden in fibre sponge mattresses. (Photo: ICA)


A total of 5,599 cartons and 9 packets of assorted duty-unpaid cigarettes were seized. (Photo: ICA)