Singapore customs raids uncover over 82,000 contraband cigarette packs

SINGAPORE: Singapore customs officers seized 82,480 packets of contraband cigarettes worth some $641,000 and arrested six men in an operation that started on Monday night and ended on Tuesday morning.
On 5 November, customs officers ambushed two Chinese nationals, aged 30 and 22, at Block 11 Teban Garden while they were unloading 18,500 cigarette packets from a taxi to a van.
The cigarette packets were worth $166,500. Duty and GST on the items totalled $142,450.
Later that night, two Singaporean men — aged 49 and 21 — and a 34—year—old Chinese national were apprehended at the Penjuru Road container yard while they were transferring 14,000 cigarette packets from a Malaysian—registered trailer into two vans.
These cigarette packets were worth an estimated $126,000. Duty and GST on the items totalled $107,800.
Investigations from the Penjuru Road raid led customs officers to conduct another raid at an industrial site in Jalan Lam Huat where 49,980 cigarette packets were found hidden beneath the floorboards of a Malaysian—registered trailer.
The cigarette packets were covered by a full load of limestone.
A 40—year—old Malaysian man was arrested.
The 49,980 cigarette packets were worth over $449,000. Duty and GST on the items totalled $384,846.
Three vans, a trailer and a truck were seized at the raids.
If convicted, all offenders could be fined as well as jailed and the seized vehicles could be forfeited.
Members of the public with information on smuggling activities or evasion of duties or GST can contact the Singapore Customs hotline at 1800—233—0000, or email to customs_intelligence@customs,gov.sg. — CNA/ir

ChannelNewsAsia (CNA)