Over 600 cartons & 900 packets of cigarettes found hidden in floorboard of M’sia-registered car
The Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) has yet again floored potential smugglers when it uncovered hundreds of cartons of duty-unpaid cigarettes about to be brought into Singapore.
They were hidden in the floorboard of a Malaysia-registered car, said ICA in a Facebook post on Tuesday (11 Aug).
Source: Immigration & Checkpoints Authority on Facebook
Car directed for enhanced checks at Woodlands Checkpoint
On 4 Aug, the Hyundai multi-purpose vehicle attempted to enter Singapore via Woodlands Checkpoint, ICA said.
However, ICA officers directed it for enhanced checks.
Source: Immigration & Checkpoints Authority on Facebook
ICA’s photos showed that numerous cartons of cigarettes were found under its hood.
Source: Immigration & Checkpoints Authority on Facebook
Cigarettes hidden in car floorboard
An officer was also depicted prising open a compartment in the car’s floorboard.
Source: Immigration & Checkpoints Authority on Facebook
This revealed several more cigarette cartons.
Source: Immigration & Checkpoints Authority on Facebook
Eventually, more than 600 cartons and over 900 packets of duty-unpaid cigarettes were found concealed in the floorboard.
M’sian driver arrested
The authorities subsequently arrested the driver, a 26-year-old Malaysian man, in connection with the suspected attempt to smuggle duty-unpaid cigarettes into Singapore.
Both the items and the man were referred to Singapore Customs for further investigation.
Source: Immigration & Checkpoints Authority on Facebook
In the Facebook post, ICA affirmed its mission to facilitate trade and travel while keeping Singapore’s borders safe and secure.
Offence to import duty-unpaid cigarettes
Under the Customs Act and the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Act, buying, selling, conveying, delivering, storing, keeping, possessing, or dealing in duty-unpaid cigarettes are serious offences.
Those convicted of offences involving duty-unpaid goods can be fined up to 40 times the amount of tax evaded and/or jailed for up to six years.
In February, ICA noted a significant increase in contraband smuggling attempts in its Annual Statistics for 2025.
The authorities foiled 57,400 such cases last year — a 30.6% jump from the 43,900 in 2024.
Several cases involved the smuggling of contraband cigarettes in cars with modified compartments or concealed among other goods in lorries, it added.
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Featured image adapted from Immigration & Checkpoints Authority on Facebook.
