SINGAPORE - Three men were arrested on March 1 for evading almost $390,000 in cigarette duties and taxes following a Singapore Customs operation.
In a statement on March 6, the authorities said they had seized 3,600 cartons of duty-unpaid cigarettes, after carrying out enforcement actions at Upper Serangoon Road and Segar Road.
They also seized two vans and $19,000 in suspected proceeds from the sales of these cigarettes.
The total duty and Goods and Services Tax (GST) evaded amounted to about $389,944.
Singapore Customs officers on March 1 conducted an operation at a carpark along Upper Serangoon Road, where they saw two men approaching two vans.
The officers inspected the vehicles, discovering 1,800 cartons of duty-unpaid cigarettes in each of them.
The two men, both Malaysian nationals aged 36 and 45, were arrested there.
Duty-unpaid cigarettes found in the two vans.PHOTO: SINGAPORE CUSTOMS
In a subsequent operation at Segar Road, a 37-year-old Singaporean man was arrested at his residence.
Officers found $19,000 in cash - suspected to be proceeds from the sale of duty-unpaid cigarettes - stored in a safe.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the two Malaysians allegedly found the job of delivering duty-unpaid cigarettes via social media, and they allegedly received instructions from the Singaporean.
Investigations are ongoing.
Offenders face a fine of up to 40 times the amount of duty and GST evaded, or a jail term of up to six years, or both.
The officers inspected the vehicles, discovering 1,800 cartons of duty-unpaid cigarettes in each of them.PHOTOS: SINGAPORE CUSTOMS
Vehicles used in committing such offences can also be seized.
Members of the public can report smuggling activities or evasion of duty or GST activities to Singapore Customs at https://go.gov.sg/reportcustomsoffence.
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