SINGAPORE: A 33-year-old Chinese national has been arrested and 2,300 cartons of duty-unpaid cigarettes seized at a back lane in Tuas, the Singapore Customs said on Wednesday (Feb 3).
During the operation on Jan 29, Customs officers saw the man walking towards a van parked at the back lane between Tuas South Street 1 and Tuas South Street 3.
AdvertisementAdvertisementOfficers suspected that there were contraband cigarettes inside the Singapore-registered van.
As the man unlocked the door of the van, the officers moved in and found boxes labelled as “dried noodles” containing duty-unpaid cigarettes in the vehicle, said Singapore Customs.
[h=3]READ: Man fined for submitting false documents to Singapore Customs on shipments of cigarettes[/h]
The van contained contraband cigarettes in boxes marked as "dried noodles". (Photo: Singapore Customs)
AdvertisementAdvertisementInvestigations found that the man was engaged by an unknown person to deliver the cigarettes to buyers.
The duty and Goods and Services Tax (GST) evaded amounted to S$196,420 and S$15,900 respectively. The van was also seized.
Court proceedings against the man are ongoing.
[h=3]READ: 5 arrested for buying duty-unpaid cigarettes from online sellers[/h] Advertisement
Boxes of duty-unpaid cigarettes found in the van. (Photo: Singapore Customs)
Buying, selling, conveying, delivering, storing, keeping, having in possession or dealing with duty-unpaid goods is illegal under the Customs Act and the GST Act.
Offenders can be fined up to 40 times the amount of duty and GST evaded, jailed up to six years, or both. Vehicles used in the commission of such offences and proceeds of sales of duty-unpaid cigarettes may also be forfeited.
Members of the public with information on smuggling activities or evasion of Customs duty or GST can email or call the Singapore Customs at 1800 2330 000.
[h=3]IN FOCUS: Singapore wants fewer people to smoke. How can it make this happen?[/h]
The boxes were labelled as "dried noodles". (Photo: Singapore Customs)
Let's block ads! (Why?)
More...
During the operation on Jan 29, Customs officers saw the man walking towards a van parked at the back lane between Tuas South Street 1 and Tuas South Street 3.
AdvertisementAdvertisementOfficers suspected that there were contraband cigarettes inside the Singapore-registered van.
As the man unlocked the door of the van, the officers moved in and found boxes labelled as “dried noodles” containing duty-unpaid cigarettes in the vehicle, said Singapore Customs.
[h=3]READ: Man fined for submitting false documents to Singapore Customs on shipments of cigarettes[/h]
AdvertisementAdvertisementInvestigations found that the man was engaged by an unknown person to deliver the cigarettes to buyers.
The duty and Goods and Services Tax (GST) evaded amounted to S$196,420 and S$15,900 respectively. The van was also seized.
Court proceedings against the man are ongoing.
[h=3]READ: 5 arrested for buying duty-unpaid cigarettes from online sellers[/h] Advertisement
Buying, selling, conveying, delivering, storing, keeping, having in possession or dealing with duty-unpaid goods is illegal under the Customs Act and the GST Act.
Offenders can be fined up to 40 times the amount of duty and GST evaded, jailed up to six years, or both. Vehicles used in the commission of such offences and proceeds of sales of duty-unpaid cigarettes may also be forfeited.
Members of the public with information on smuggling activities or evasion of Customs duty or GST can email or call the Singapore Customs at 1800 2330 000.
[h=3]IN FOCUS: Singapore wants fewer people to smoke. How can it make this happen?[/h]
Let's block ads! (Why?)
More...