Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) officers have foiled an attempt to smuggle in over 300 cartons of duty-unpaid cigarettes via Woodlands Checkpoint on Nov 29. In a Facebook post on Wednesday (Dec 3), ICA said that its Integrated Targeting Centre identified the Malaysia-registered car for enhanced checks. During the checks, ICA search and examination officers found more than 300 cartons and 1,500 packets of duty-unpaid cigarettes concealed within various modified compartments of the car. In the video posted by ICA, packets of cigarettes are seen behind the front bumper and in the engine bay. The 27-year-old Malaysian man was detained and referred to Singapore Customs for further investigation. Buying, selling, conveying, possessing or dealing with duty-unpaid goods are considered serious offences under the Customs Act and the Goods and Services Tax Act. If convicted, offenders can be fined up to 40 times the amount of duty evaded, jailed for up to six years, or both. 

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim will visit Singapore on Thursday (Dec 4) for the 12th Singapore-Malaysia annual leaders retreat, where the two countries are expected to sign several bilateral agreements. He will be hosted by Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, according to a statement from Singapore's Prime Minister's Office (PMO) on Wednesday (Dec 3). The annual leaders' retreat is a key platform for the two leaders to take stock of bilateral cooperation, explore new avenues of collaboration and provide guidance on how to take bilateral relations forward. On Thursday, Anwar will be hosted to lunch by Wong. Both countries will then hold a delegation meeting. The events will be held at The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore hotel in the Marina Bay area. [[nid:726108]]The two leaders will also witness the exchange of bilateral memorandums of understanding and agreements in areas including the fight against drugs and health. 

Customers of massage and foot reflexology chain Wan Yang have reported losses of over $904,000 in unused prepaid packages, said Melvin Yong, president of Consumers Association of Singapore (Case).In a statement to AsiaOne on Wednesday (Dec 3), Yong said that Case has received 439 complaints following Wan Yang's sudden closure on Nov 21.The current amount far exceeds the initial $29,000 previously announced by Yong on Nov 24.According to the Radin Mas MP, Wan Yang confirmed that all three of its entities — Wan Yang Holdings, Wan Yang Foot Reflexology Centre and Wan Yang Health Product & Foot Reflexology Centre — have ceased operations as of Nov 21, and are undergoing liquidation proceedings.«Wan Yang has proposed liquidators, care of RSM SG Corporate Advisory Pte Ltd, to oversee the liquidation administration,» said Yong, adding that they will be appointed following a creditors' meeting on Dec 10.

The police have arrested 13 men, aged between 21 and 39, for being suspected members of unlawful societies.The islandwide secret-society suppression operation on Nov 28 and 29 was led by the Secret Societies Branch of the Criminal Investigation Department and was supported by five police land divisions.About 40 public entertainment outlets, nightlife establishments, and food and beverage outlets, as well as close to 100 people, were checked.Police investigations on the 13 are ongoing. Anyone found guilty of being a member of an unlawful society under Section 14(3) of the Societies Act 1966 shall be liable on conviction to imprisonment for up to three years, a fine of up to $10,000 or both.From 2022 to 2024, more than 1,300 suspected members of unlawful societies were arrested.Figures from the Singapore Prison Service show that there has been a spike in the number of young people jailed for their involvement in secret society activities under the Criminal Law (Temporary Provisions) Act.

SINGAPORE — On the night of Dec 2, some passengers travelling on the East-West Line (EWL) between Bugis and Bedok stations experienced a delay of at least 20 minutes.From around 8pm, posters and digital screen displays were put up at various stations indicating that a track fault had occurred, resulting in extra travelling time of 20 minutes between Bugis and Bedok stations — a stretch of eight stations.At Paya Lebar station, one of the affected stops, trains called at platforms opposite to their designated ones and station staff were also said to have been unclear about the trains' direction of travel.SMRT, which operates the EWL, did not announce the delay on its social media pages, irking some passengers.Responding to queries from The Straits Times on Dec 3, SMRT Trains president Lam Sheau Kai said a track point failure took place near Aljunied station on the EWL at around 7.50pm on Dec 2.A track point failure refers to a malfunctioning railway switch that allows trains to change tracks.

Malaysia will not permit Singapore tour buses to operate express bus services in the country, its transport minister Anthony Loke said on Tuesday (Dec 2). He told Malaysia's Parliament that under a reciprocal arrangement, Singapore tour buses can bring tourists into Malaysia, just as Malaysia's tour buses are allowed into Singapore, reported The Star. Loke reportedly stated that the Republic had requested for its express buses to run in Malaysia, in return for Malaysian buses operating in Singapore. «However, Singapore does not have a legal category for express buses. Their system only recognises tour buses and scheduled buses,» he said. Adding that his ministry's position «remains firm», Loke said that «action will be taken» against illegal operators.Malaysian MP Ahmad Marzuk Shaary raised his concern in a supplementary question that some Singaporean tour buses have operated in Malaysia for years without inspections or local safety standards. In response, Loke said that such bus operators «have taken advantage of the system». 

A car travelling along the Seletar Expressway (SLE) caught on fire and was engulfed by flames on Tuesday (Dec 2). The incident occurred at around 5.45pm along the SLE towards Tampines Expressway, before the Seletar West exit. Videos of the incident were posted to TikTok, with one showing thick grey smoke billowing from the white car.Another video captured the aftermath of the incident, where a section of the road was blocked off by police and Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) officers, and the car was charred.In response to queries from AsiaOne, SCDF said the fire was extinguished using a water jet, and that no injuries were reported.The cause of the fire is under investigation.

A total of 18 bus services will be temporarily diverted from their usual routes due to lane and road closures for the upcoming 12th Singapore-Malaysia Leaders' Retreat on Thursday (Dec 4). In a public transport service announcement posted on its website, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) said that 18 bus services - 36, 70M, 97, 97e, 106, 111, 133, 502, 518, 666, 671, 672, 673, 675, 676, 677, 678, and 857 - will skip one bus stop along Temasek Avenue from 10pm on Dec 3 to 11.59pm on Dec 4. The bus stop with code 02171 is located opposite The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore hotel. 

A 41-year-old Indonesian man who turned himself in to the police after allegedly murdering his wife at a five-star hotel in Chinatown was escorted back to the crime scene on Wednesday (Dec 3). Salehuddin, who goes by one name, arrived at the basement car park of Capri by Fraser China Square hotel in an unmarked police van at about 9.15am. He exited the vehicle in wrist and ankle restrains, hunched over with his head bowed in front of media photographers. The suspect was led by investigators from the police's Criminal Investigation Department up to the seventh-floor room of the hotel, where the killing is suspected to have occurred. He was also accompanied by an interpreter and an independent volunteer under the Appropriate Adult Scheme, which renders support to suspects under the age of 18, or adults with intellectual disabilities or mental health issues. 

One person was taken to hospital after a trailer caught fire along Clementi Road on Tuesday (Dec 2). The incident occurred at around 2.55pm, according to the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF). Photos circulating online show large plumes of smoke billowing from the white trailer. A passer-by who spoke to 8world said a loud explosion was heard and the air subsequently filled with a pungent odour. SCDF said the fire was extinguished with a hosereel. One person was conveyed to Singapore General Hospital for smoke inhalation. The cause of the fire is under investigation. [[nid:725258]]dana.leong@asiaone.com

A 29-year-old man has been arrested for his suspected involvement in a series of e-commerce scams involving the sale of limited edition Pokémon trading cards. In a statement on Tuesday (Dec 2), the police said that the man was believed to be involved in at least 111 of such cases, with losses amounting to at least $80,000. The man had allegedly advertised the pre-order sales of limited edition Pokémon trading cards on Carousell. Victims would eventually realise that they have been scammed when they did not receive their cards after payment was made via bank transfers. The man would first claim that delivery of the said trading cards was delayed and later became unresponsive. He was arrested on Dec 1 through follow-up investigations by officers from the Commercial Affairs Department. The 29-year-old will be charged in court on Dec 3 with cheating. If found guilty, he may be fined and jailed for up to 10 years. Take precautions when making online purchasesThe police advised the public to be careful when making online purchases.