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Jan 25, 2010
Dip in illegal cigarettes
<!-- by line --> By Kimberly Spykerman
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Contraband cigarettes hidden in the speakers of various sound systems. -- PHOTO: MICA
<!-- story content : start --> SINGAPORE Customs saw its largest dip in five years in the number of contraband cigarettes seized last year. Officers seized 2.9 million packs of contraband cigarettes, down from last year's total of 4.6 million packets. Three major syndicates were also smashed, reducing the supply of illegal cigarettes 'significantly', Head of Operations Management Yeo Sew Meng told a media briefing on Monday. A total of 1,174 people were prosecuted last year, down from the previous year's figure of 1,382. Director-General of Singapore Customs Fong Yong Kian said that the increase in duty collected from duty-paid cigarettes was an encouraging sign that smokers were going legal. Last year, $861 million was collected in duties, a 13 per cent jump from 2008's figure of $763 million. In addition, 14 people were taken to court for evading motor vehicle duties by under-declaring the values of imported vehicles. In 2008, three people were caught. The number of people caught for tampering with fuel gauges also went up, with 24 people caught, compared to four the previous year. Most of them served jail terms of one and two weeks.
Home > Breaking News > Singapore > Story
Jan 25, 2010
Dip in illegal cigarettes
<!-- by line --> By Kimberly Spykerman
<!-- end by line -->
<!-- end left side bar -->
Contraband cigarettes hidden in the speakers of various sound systems. -- PHOTO: MICA
<!-- story content : start --> SINGAPORE Customs saw its largest dip in five years in the number of contraband cigarettes seized last year. Officers seized 2.9 million packs of contraband cigarettes, down from last year's total of 4.6 million packets. Three major syndicates were also smashed, reducing the supply of illegal cigarettes 'significantly', Head of Operations Management Yeo Sew Meng told a media briefing on Monday. A total of 1,174 people were prosecuted last year, down from the previous year's figure of 1,382. Director-General of Singapore Customs Fong Yong Kian said that the increase in duty collected from duty-paid cigarettes was an encouraging sign that smokers were going legal. Last year, $861 million was collected in duties, a 13 per cent jump from 2008's figure of $763 million. In addition, 14 people were taken to court for evading motor vehicle duties by under-declaring the values of imported vehicles. In 2008, three people were caught. The number of people caught for tampering with fuel gauges also went up, with 24 people caught, compared to four the previous year. Most of them served jail terms of one and two weeks.
