SINGAPORE: More than 1,000 cartons of duty-unpaid cigarettes were seized during an operation conducted on Saturday (Mar 12) near Tuas South Walk.
A 29-year-old Malaysian man was also arrested, Singapore Customs said in a press release on Tuesday.
Officers had spotted two vehicles - a Malaysia-registered prime mover attached with a trailer and a Singapore-registered truck - parked back-to-back along the roadside.
The officers conducted a check and found 1,020 cartons of duty-unpaid cigarettes in the truck.
The lorry and truck parked along Tuas South Walk. (Photo: Singapore Customs)
Trailer with a modified floorboard. (Photo: Singapore Customs)
Duty-unpaid cigarettes found in the truck. (Photo: Singapore Customs)
"Investigations revealed that the duty-unpaid cigarettes in the truck were retrieved from a modified compartment in the floorboard of the trailer," Singapore Customs said.
The duty-unpaid cigarettes and the two vehicles were seized.
"The total duty and Goods and Services tax (GST) evaded amounted to about S$87,100 and S$6,930 respectively," it said.
Court proceedings against the man are ongoing.
"Buying, selling, conveying, delivering, storing, keeping, possessing or dealing with duty-unpaid goods are serious offences under the Customs Act and the GST Act," Singapore Customs said.
Offenders can be fined up to 40 times the amount of duty and GST evaded, jailed for up to six years or both. Vehicles used in such offences are liable to be forfeited.
Continue reading...
A 29-year-old Malaysian man was also arrested, Singapore Customs said in a press release on Tuesday.
Officers had spotted two vehicles - a Malaysia-registered prime mover attached with a trailer and a Singapore-registered truck - parked back-to-back along the roadside.
The officers conducted a check and found 1,020 cartons of duty-unpaid cigarettes in the truck.
The lorry and truck parked along Tuas South Walk. (Photo: Singapore Customs)
Trailer with a modified floorboard. (Photo: Singapore Customs)
Duty-unpaid cigarettes found in the truck. (Photo: Singapore Customs)
"Investigations revealed that the duty-unpaid cigarettes in the truck were retrieved from a modified compartment in the floorboard of the trailer," Singapore Customs said.
The duty-unpaid cigarettes and the two vehicles were seized.
"The total duty and Goods and Services tax (GST) evaded amounted to about S$87,100 and S$6,930 respectively," it said.
Court proceedings against the man are ongoing.
"Buying, selling, conveying, delivering, storing, keeping, possessing or dealing with duty-unpaid goods are serious offences under the Customs Act and the GST Act," Singapore Customs said.
Offenders can be fined up to 40 times the amount of duty and GST evaded, jailed for up to six years or both. Vehicles used in such offences are liable to be forfeited.
Continue reading...