Aug 18, 2010
Fishy bid to smuggle cigs foiled
<!-- by line --> By Hannah Koh
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The Malaysian-registered lorry which was carrying live Tilapia fishes was stopped by the officers manning the Vehicle and Cargo Inspection System. -- PHOTOS: ICA
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AN ANOMALY in the scanning images of a consignment of live fishes from Malaysia alerted Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) officers to a cigarette smuggling attempt at Tuas Checkpoint. They later found 1,764 cartons of contraband cigarrettes stashed beneath the bottom of a fish tank early on Tuesday and arrested the Malaysian driver, aged 34.
The Malaysian-registered lorry which was carrying live Tilapia fishes was stopped by the officers manning the Vehicle and Cargo Inspection System because of anomalies in the scanning images of the consignment. ICA officers ordered the driver to transfer the live fishes from one tank to another for further inspection. ICA officers found 350,000 sticks of assorted cigarrettes in 1,764 cartons, amounting to more than $135,400 of unpaid taxes, hidden under the false bottom of the fish tanks.
The driver said he would be paid RM600 (S$257) by his supervisor to successfully deliver the consignment to Singapore. He was instructed to load the fish consignment at his workplace in Kota Tinggi and then unload the consignment at Jurong Fishery Port. Thereafter, he was to leave the lorry at a designated carpark in Woodlands town park where someone else would pick up the contraband cigarrettes.
The driver, together with the vehicle and seized goods were handed over to Singapore Customs for investigation. If convicted 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. The vehicle used to smuggle the contraband would also be liable to forfeiture.
