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A total of 12,276 cartons and nine packets of duty-unpaid cigarettes were seized in the operation. (Photo: Singapore Customs)Duty-unpaid cigarettes were hidden in the modified bulk liquid containers. (Photo: Singapore Customs)
SINGAPORE: Singapore Customs seized over 12,270 cartons of contraband cigarettes in a recent operation.
The total street value of the cigarettes was over $1.2 million and the total duty and Goods and Services Tax (GST) evaded was close to S$1 million.
Four Malaysians and two Singaporeans were arrested in the crackdown.
In a statement, Singapore Customs said it worked with the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) to conduct checks on two 20-foot containers that arrived at the Tanjong Pagar Scanning Station on May 31.
Singapore Customs officers kept a close watch as the containers were transported to an open-air storage yard at Jalan Ahmad Ibrahim.
They saw bulk liquid containers being unloaded from the two containers into the storage yard but instead of the declared "latex", duty-unpaid cigarettes were retrieved from the modified bulk liquid containers.
The Singapore Customs officers then moved in and arrested six men.
The officers retrieved 12,276 cartons and nine packets of duty-unpaid cigarettes from 28 of the 36 bulk liquid containers.
Singapore Customs said court proceedings are ongoing for the six men arrested.
It said this was its third largest seizure of contraband cigarettes this year.
More than 12,270 cartons of contraband cigarettes seized
The Straits Times
Friday, Jun 07, 2013
The total street value of the cigarettes and the total duty and Goods and Services Tax (GST) evaded amounted to more than $1.2 million and close to $1 million respectively.
Get the full story from The Straits Times.
Here is the full statement from the Singapore Customs:
Singapore Customs has seized more than 12,2 7 0 cartons of c ontraband cigarettes in a recent operation. Singapore Customs worked with the Immigration & C heckpoints Authority (ICA) to conduct checks on two 20-foot containers that arrived at the Tanjong Pagar Scanning Station on 31 May 2013.
Singapore Customs officers kept a close watch as the containers were transported to an open - air storage yard at Jalan Ahmad Ibrahim. They saw bulk liquid containers being unloaded from the two containers into the storage yard .
However, instead of the declared “latex”, duty-unpaid cigarettes were retrieved from the modified bulk liquid containers. The Singapore Customs officers then moved in and arrested six men . A total of 12,276 cartons and nine packets of duty-unpaid cigarettes were retrieved from 28 of the 36 bulk liquid containers.
Court proceedings are ongoing for the four Malaysian s and two Singapore an s ar rested. This is Singapore Customs' third largest seizure of contraband cigarettes this year. The total street value of the cigarettes and the total duty and Good s and Services Tax (GST) evaded amounted to more than S$1.2 million and close to S$1 million respectively.
Singapore Customs advisory
Buying, selling, conveying, delivering, storing, keeping, having in possession or dealing with duty - unpaid goods are serious offences under the Customs Act and the GST Act. Offenders will be severely dealt with. They can be fined up to 40 times the amount of duty and GST evaded and/or jailed for up to six years.
The minimum court fine for first-time and repeat offenders of tobacco-related offences are $2,000 and $4,000 respectively. Repeat offenders who are caught with more than two kilogrammes of tobacco products will also face mandatory imprisonment.
Vehicles used in the commission of such offences are also liable to be forfeited.
Immigration & Checkpoints Authority advisory
Our borders are our first line of defence in safeguarding Singapore’s security. The enhanced security checks are critical to our nation's security. The Immigration & Checkpoints Authority will continue to conduct security checks on passengers and vehicles at the checkpoints to prevent attempts to smuggle in undesirable persons, drugs, weapons, explosives and other contraband.
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.
