The immigration officials uncovered and confiscated over 13,000 cartons of duty-unpaid cigarettes from a truck at Tuas Checkpoint. The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) released a statement on Monday, February 17, stating that a 26-year-old Malaysian man was operating the truck and trying to smuggle them into Singapore.
An ICA image analyst found irregularities in scanned photographs of the cargo of the Malaysia-registered vehicle during arrival clearance, despite the fact that "glass jars" had been listed as part of the truck's consignment.
When ICA officers searched, they discovered 9,768 loose packets and 13,035 cartons of cigarettes hidden inside cardboard boxes with glass jars lining them.
Singapore Customs has been tasked with for further investigations in this case.
In order to stop smuggling attempts into Singapore, the ICA said in its statement that it will keep using data analytics and collaborating with other organizations.
Two weeks back, in a joint investigation, the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA), police, and Health Sciences Authority (HSA) discovered a network of e-vaporizer distribution and seized more than 8,700 e-vaporizers and associated parts.
At Woodlands Checkpoint, ICA agents detained a 28-year-old Singaporean man on January 6 after discovering more than 5,500 e-vaporizer parts hidden in his vehicle.
The man was transporting the e-vaporizer components to an industrial facility at Kaki Bukit Road, according to the HSA's investigations after the case was turned over to them.
As per Singapore Customs, if an offender is found committing customs offences at the checkpoints, then he or she may be offered following composition amounts:
| Type of Offence | Composition Amount |
| Failure to declare or making an incorrect declaration of cigarettes | 1st offence: S$200 per packet or per 20 sticks or part thereof2nd offence: S$500 per packet or per 20 sticks or part there of3rd offence: S$800 per packet or per 20 sticks of part thereof |
| Failure to declare or making an incorrect declaration of dutiable goods other than cigarettes | 1st offence: 10 times the duty amount2nd offence: 15 times the duty amount3rd offence: 20 times the duty amount subject to a minimum of S$50 |
| Failure to declare or making an incorrect declaration of non-dutiable goods | 10 times the Goods and Services Tax (GST) amount subject to a minimum of S$50 |
| Leaving Singapore in a Singapore-registered motor vehicle with less than three-quarter tank full of motor fuel. This applies to petrol, CNG and petrol-CNG supply tanks. With effect from 1 April 2019, the three-quarter tank rule will also apply to all Singapore-registered diesel-powered vehicles. | A. Motor Vehicles (Sedan, SUV, MPV, Hatchback, Convertible, etc.)1st offence: S$1002nd offence: S$3003rd offence: S$500B. Large-Sized Motor Vehicles (Goods Vehicles, Trucks, Buses, Vans, etc.) with effect from 1 April 20191st offence: S$3002nd offence: S$4003rd offence: S$500The driver may be required to turn back to Singapore to fill the fuel supply tank to three-quarter tank full before he is allowed to leave Singapore with the motor vehicle. The driver may be charged in court if the fuel gauge of his motor vehicle has tampered. |
