Man arrested at Woodlands Checkpoint after over 400 cartons of contraband cigarettes found hidden in car's modified compartments

Under the hood, seats, and even the undercarriage.

These were the places that Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) officers found cartons of duty-unpaid cigarettes hidden in various modified compartments of a Malaysia-registered car at Woodlands Checkpoint on Oct 7.

In a social media post on Thursday (Oct 29), ICA said that its search and examination officers had directed the car for enhanced checks, where over 400 cartons and 30 packets of duty-unpaid cigarettes were found.

Photographs shared by ICA show cartons of cigarettes hidden by covers or black thrash bags underneath the car's bonnet, seats, trunk, and even the undercarriage.

A 37-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. 

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