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April 14, 2009
Cigarette smuggler jailed <!--10 min-->
<!-- headline one : start --> <!-- headline one : end --> <!-- Author --> <!-- show image if available --> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"> <tbody><tr></tr> <tr> </tr> <tr> </tr> <tr><td colspan="2" class="padlrt8 georgia11 darkgrey bold">By Diana Othman </td></tr> </tbody></table><!-- START OF : div id="storytext"-->
A MALAYSIAN was jailed for two years on Monday for trying to smuggle 20,970 packets of contraband cigarettes into Singapore at the Tuas Checkpoint over the weekend.
Selva Rajoo Kumarwell, 21, tried to sneak in the duty-unpaid cigarettes, worth more than $200,000, by hiding them under a cover-load of bricks in a Malaysian-registered prime mover which he was driving. The duty and GST of the smuggled cigarettes amounted to more than $161,000. Singapore Customs was tipped off on the smuggling bid during a joint operation called 'Operation Bricklayer', with the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA).
The vehicle was intercepted at 3am on April 11. Under layers of bricks, ICA officers found the cigarettes hidden under the floorboards in the second column of the trailer, which they had to drill and pry open. Further investigation revealed that Kumarwell was hired to smuggle the cigarettes into Singapore and would be paid RM$1,000 if he got through. He was arrested and charged in court on Monday where he pleaded guilty to the charges. In the first three months of 2009, a total of 298 offenders dealing with illegal cigarettes were arrested and charged in court. Those convicted face a jail term and/or fine up to 20 times the duty and GST evaded.
April 14, 2009
Cigarette smuggler jailed <!--10 min-->
<!-- headline one : start --> <!-- headline one : end --> <!-- Author --> <!-- show image if available --> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"> <tbody><tr></tr> <tr> </tr> <tr> </tr> <tr><td colspan="2" class="padlrt8 georgia11 darkgrey bold">By Diana Othman </td></tr> </tbody></table><!-- START OF : div id="storytext"-->
A MALAYSIAN was jailed for two years on Monday for trying to smuggle 20,970 packets of contraband cigarettes into Singapore at the Tuas Checkpoint over the weekend.
Selva Rajoo Kumarwell, 21, tried to sneak in the duty-unpaid cigarettes, worth more than $200,000, by hiding them under a cover-load of bricks in a Malaysian-registered prime mover which he was driving. The duty and GST of the smuggled cigarettes amounted to more than $161,000. Singapore Customs was tipped off on the smuggling bid during a joint operation called 'Operation Bricklayer', with the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA).
The vehicle was intercepted at 3am on April 11. Under layers of bricks, ICA officers found the cigarettes hidden under the floorboards in the second column of the trailer, which they had to drill and pry open. Further investigation revealed that Kumarwell was hired to smuggle the cigarettes into Singapore and would be paid RM$1,000 if he got through. He was arrested and charged in court on Monday where he pleaded guilty to the charges. In the first three months of 2009, a total of 298 offenders dealing with illegal cigarettes were arrested and charged in court. Those convicted face a jail term and/or fine up to 20 times the duty and GST evaded.
