Singapore Customs and the local police conducted a raid at a foreign workers' dormitory in Punggol on Tuesday, May 22 and arrested 32 foreign workers for their alleged involvement in a case of possessing duty-unpaid cigarettes.
The Singapore Customs said in their Facebook page that on Friday night operation included 400 foreign workers and among them, 32 were found involved in possessing duty-unpaid cigarettes. The post also added that the alleged offenders were issued with composition sums.
As per the Singapore Customs' post, the compensation was given to the first-time offenders, who have up to one packet of duty-unpaid cigarettes, the compensation sum is S$500. But, the authority clarified that heavier penalties will be applicable if the offenders are found with more than one packet of those cigarettes and/ or if they are repeat offenders.
Earlier, in April Singapore 25 smokers arrested by the Singapore Customs for smoking contraband cigarettes. Before the arrest to locate offenders, officers wore casual dresses and conducted their operation at the Central Business District on Apr 6.
Since the country has zero tolerance towards such illegal activities, a convict can face a minimum of six years jail and a fine worth 40 times the amount of duty and GST evaded.
To prevent attempts to smuggle in undesirable persons, drugs, weapons, explosives and other contrabands in the country, the customs officers conduct strict security checks on passengers and vehicles at the checkpoints.
