3,100 cartons of duty-unpaid cigarettes seized at Jurong West, 4 Malaysians arrested
Singapore Customs seized 3,100 cartons of duty-unpaid cigarettes and arrested four Malaysian men, aged between 20 and 39, during an enforcement operation at Pasir Laba Heavy Vehicle Park in Jurong West on Nov 13.The total duty and Goods and Services Tax evaded amounted to about $335,785, Singapore Customs said on Thursday (Nov 27). During the operation, officers conducted checks on a parked tanker and a nearby forested area, where duty-unpaid cigarettes were allegedly being packed into cartons.Checks uncovered 3,100 cartons of duty-unpaid cigarettes found concealed within the tanker and in the forested area. The duty-unpaid cigarettes were seized.Investigations revealed that a 30-year-old Malaysian man was allegedly hired to drive a prime mover with the tank attached from Malaysia to Singapore, while a 39-year-old Malaysian man was hired to deliver the contraband using a truck.The remaining two men, aged 20 and 21, were allegedly hired by the 39 year-old to act as lookouts, including using a motorcycle to «scout the area» to ensure that it was safe for unloading the contraband.