ICA officers hack and cut open Malaysia bus's engine bay, uncover duty-unpaid cigarettes

Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) officers brought out their axes and cutters as they hacked and cut open parts of a Malaysia-registered bus during an enhanced check at Woodlands Checkpoint on June 15.

In a video posted on its social media on Thursday (June 25), ICA officers and workers are seen using cutters at a section of the bus's undercarriage.

A section of the floorboard was also hacked open, showing what appears to be a modified compartment.

ICA said the bus was profiled and directed for enhanced checks, where its search and examination officers found more than 880 cartons and 110 packets of duty-unpaid cigarettes from the modified engine compartment of the vehicle.

AsiaOne understands that such profiling is typically conducted by ICA's Integrated Targeting Centre (ITC). 

The ITC operates 24/7 and leverages data analytics to conduct pre-arrival risk assessment of travellers, conveyances and cargo. Those assessed to be of higher risk are flagged for checks upon arrival at Singapore's checkpoints. 

In this case, a 40-year-old male Malaysian driver was arrested and the case referred to the Singapore Customs for further investigation.

Buying, selling, conveying, possessing or dealing with duty-unpaid goods are serious offences under the Customs Act and the Goods and Services Tax Act. 

Offenders can be fined up to 40 times the amount of duty evaded, jailed for up to six years, or both. 

Vehicles used in these offences and proceeds of sales of duty-unpaid goods may also be forfeited. 

In 2025, ICA detected more than 57,000 contraband cases through Singapore's checkpoints.

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