Almost 15,000 cartons of contraband cigarettes found in container truck
The Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) found a large volume of duty-unpaid cigarettes concealed in specially hollowed areas of gypsum board in a Singapore-registered container truck on 22 February 2017.
A total of 14,492 cartons of duty-unpaid cigarettes were seized. The total duty and Goods and Services Tax evaded amounted to about $1.1 million and $83,340 respectively.
At about 6.25am on Wednesday, an ICA officer at the Tanjong Pagar Scanning Station directed the truck for inspection after noticing anomalies in the scanned images of the container. The 40-footer was declared to contain 16 pallets of gypsum boards.
The contraband was found after officers removed the top layers of the gypsum board during checks.
Singapore Customs was alerted and its officers followed up with an operation where they arrested six Malaysian men, aged between 19 and 28, in a warehouse at Tuas South Avenue 10.
Investigations are currently ongoing.
