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253 cartons of contraband cigarettes seized in Singapore

Xinhua, December 28, 2015 Adjust font size:

Singapore's Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) found 253 cartons of contraband cigarettes at Woodlands Checkpoint on Sunday, said the authority in a press release on Monday.

A 25-year-old male driver of a Malaysia-registered car approached ICA officers at the check area and requested to make a U-turn back to Malaysia instead of entering Singapore, claiming his car had broken down, according to the release.

Sensing something amiss, ICA officers conducted a thorough check on the vehicle and found contraband cigarettes hidden in various parts of the car, such as the engine compartment, front and rear bumpers, door panels, modified floor boards and under the passenger seats.

ICA said the potential duty and Goods and Services Tax (GST) evaded amounted to about 19,630 Singapore dollars (13,943 U.S. dollars) and 1,870 Singapore dollars (1,328 dollars) respectively.

Both subjects, the seized cigarettes and vehicle, were handed over to the Singapore Customs for investigations.

The vehicle used in the commission of such offences is liable to be forfeited, said the authority. Endit