A married couple were hauled to court on Friday (March 6) after they allegedly carried out a plan to avoid paying overseas customs tax on gold jewellery by claiming to be victims of snatch theft.The couple, Hewa Sahabanduge Waruna Kanishka, 30, and Jayasekara Gamlath Ralalage Yehelichathurika, 29, were charged with obstruction of justice with common intention.Hewa, who had lodged a police report over the fake theft, was handed another charge of providing false information to a public servant.In a media release, the police said Hewa had made a report on March 4, alleging that a stranger had stolen his black sling bag containing gold jewellery, a phone, and $400 in cash along Queen Street in Bugis.The «stolen» items were worth an estimated $21,668.«In view of the seriousness of the report, the police deployed significant resources to investigate the alleged offence and to search for the perpetrator,» it said.But officers discovered discrepancies in Hewa's account, and he allegedly admitted to having lodged a false report to evade overseas customs tax. Read more