http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v5/newsworld.php?id=431149
Bernama.com, 7 Aug 2009
Smuggling Cases In Singapore Sykrocket
SINGAPORE, Aug 7 (Bernama) -- Despite Singapore's tight border security and stringent checks at its entry points, smuggling cases into the island state has skyrocketed in the first half of the year.
About 23,800 contraband smuggling cases were detected during the six months or a 34.5 per cent increase from the 17,700 cases reported in the same period last year, according to the republic's Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA).
The cases were "the highest since ICA's formation on April 1, 2003," the authority said in its half-yearly report released Friday.
The contrabands were mainly unpaid-duty cigarettes (734,000 packets worth $6.6 million), security-related items such as replica guns, air pistols, knuckle dusters, live bullets, samurai swords and dummy missiles (3,300 cases), flora, fauna and food items (2,700 cases) and illegal discs (520 cases).
However, the number of illegals entering the state recorded a slight drop from 3,113 cases in the first six months of last year, to 3,111 cases this year.
ICA said the smugglers were increasingly turning to more deceptive means of concealment in a bid to evade the stringent checks in place.
They used highly creative delivery modes for contraband and people smuggling, including using tow-truck services, fake fibreglass natural gas tank, and even sealing the contraband within cement and fish tanks.
But the contrabands were easily detected after the ICA swept their cargo with gamma-ray and X-ray scanners.
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Latest update @ Singapore News Alternative:
1. Goh Chok Tong's Remarks About Aung San Suu Kyi Upset Burmese Community
2. Smuggling Cases In Singapore Sykrocket
3. Ng Eng Hen: Singapore well-prepared to face global challenges
4. DBS says search for new CEO is still on
5. Singapore's DBS bank 2Q profit falls 15%
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New video added:
1. SDP's National Day Message 2009
.
Bernama.com, 7 Aug 2009
Smuggling Cases In Singapore Sykrocket
SINGAPORE, Aug 7 (Bernama) -- Despite Singapore's tight border security and stringent checks at its entry points, smuggling cases into the island state has skyrocketed in the first half of the year.
About 23,800 contraband smuggling cases were detected during the six months or a 34.5 per cent increase from the 17,700 cases reported in the same period last year, according to the republic's Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA).
The cases were "the highest since ICA's formation on April 1, 2003," the authority said in its half-yearly report released Friday.
The contrabands were mainly unpaid-duty cigarettes (734,000 packets worth $6.6 million), security-related items such as replica guns, air pistols, knuckle dusters, live bullets, samurai swords and dummy missiles (3,300 cases), flora, fauna and food items (2,700 cases) and illegal discs (520 cases).
However, the number of illegals entering the state recorded a slight drop from 3,113 cases in the first six months of last year, to 3,111 cases this year.
ICA said the smugglers were increasingly turning to more deceptive means of concealment in a bid to evade the stringent checks in place.
They used highly creative delivery modes for contraband and people smuggling, including using tow-truck services, fake fibreglass natural gas tank, and even sealing the contraband within cement and fish tanks.
But the contrabands were easily detected after the ICA swept their cargo with gamma-ray and X-ray scanners.
--------------------
Latest update @ Singapore News Alternative:
1. Goh Chok Tong's Remarks About Aung San Suu Kyi Upset Burmese Community
2. Smuggling Cases In Singapore Sykrocket
3. Ng Eng Hen: Singapore well-prepared to face global challenges
4. DBS says search for new CEO is still on
5. Singapore's DBS bank 2Q profit falls 15%
6. Singapore seeks someone clean and green to groom for PM
7. GIC says lack of recovery by 2010 big risk for Asia
New video added:
1. SDP's National Day Message 2009
.
