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
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
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.
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.
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.
Have news you must share? Get in touch with us via email at news@mustsharenews.com.
Featured image adapted from Immigration & Checkpoints Authority on Facebook.