7/27/2019 Record Seizure of Contraband Cigarettes

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Topic: Record seizure of contraband cigarettes

20 June 2009 The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) seized a record number of

duty-unpaid cigarettes at the Tanjong Pagar Scanning Station this morning.

With a street-value of $1.4 million, the 15,000 cartons and 200 sticks of contraband cigarettes

were discovered due to inconsistencies in the density reading of the 20-footer container they

were hidden in.

Evaded customs duty and GST payable for the cigarettes amounted to $1.1 million and

$96,000 respectively.

Five people have been detained to assist with investigations. If found guilty for duty evasion,

first time offenders can be fined up to 20 times the amount of duty evaded and be liable to a

jail term not exceeding three years. For second or subsequent convictions, offenders can be

fined up to 40 times the amount of duty evaded and jailed for up to six years. Offenders also

face further fines based on the amount of GST evaded.

Border checkpoints are Singapores first line of defense against terrorism and the ICA has

upped surveillance efforts in recent months.

The implementation of the new Integrated Cargo Inspection System (ICIS) has increased the

efficiency and effectiveness in cargo vehicle screenings. Stringent checks on passengers and

vehicles are also continuously carried out as part of the ICAs measures in preventing the

smuggling of undesirable persons, drugs, weapons, explosives and other contraband into

Singapore.

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7/27/2019 Record Seizure of Contraband Cigarettes

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Topic: Record seizure of contraband cigarettes

Story Process Diary

a) Original story idea:

Duty-unpaid cigarettes worth $1.4 million seized by the Immigration & Checkpoints

Authority (ICA).

b) Origin of story idea:

It does not pay to smuggle illegal goods into Singapore.

c) Why is it of interest?

This is ICAs record seizure of contraband cigarettes.

d) Potential sources

Officers at the Tanjong Pagar Scanning Station (where the 20-footer container was

scanned)

Officers of the Criminal Investigation Bureau who are in-charge of this case

e) Actual sources:

Goh Tat Boon, assistant superintendent of the Criminal Investigation Bureau. Contact:

67427266

Mohammed Helmi, port officer at the Tanjong Pagar Scanning Station.

Contact: 63245021

f) Limitation:

My source was unable to disclose the identities of the detained people as they have not been

officially charged for cigarette smuggling.

g) Story evolution

The original story idea remains.

h) Other comments:

Nil.

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