SINGAPORE: Five Singaporeans and three Malaysians were arrested and more than 5,000 cartons of duty-unpaid cigarettes were seized in an operation on Tuesday (April 24).
Six were arrested at a motor workshop at Kaki Bukit Avenue 4 and the other two were nabbed at Woodlands Checkpoint as they were about to leave the country, said Singapore Customs in a news release on Thursday.
The suspects are aged between 21 and 59.
The arrests took place after officers raided the motor workshop, which was believed to be used as a “storage and distribution point for duty-unpaid cigarettes”, the news release said.
A total of 5,120 cartons and four packets of cigarettes were recovered from the workshop as well as a Singapore-registered truck that was parked in it. The total amount of duty and Goods and Services Tax (GST) evaded amounted to about S$440,000 and S$32,000, respectively.
Officers also seized the truck as well as two Malaysia-registered cars that were believed to be used to deliver duty-unpaid cigarettes to different parts of Singapore.
Vehicles seized in an operation conducted by the Singapore Customs on Tuesday (Apr 24). (Photo: Singapore Customs)
Investigations are ongoing.
“Buying, selling, conveying, delivering, storing, keeping, having in possession or dealing with duty-unpaid goods are serious offences under the Customs Act and the GST Act,” said the media release.
“Offenders will be severely dealt with. They can be fined up to 40 times the amount of duty and GST evaded and/or jailed for up to six years.”
