The Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) yet again foiled the plans of potential smugglers when it recently uncovered more than 1,200 packets of duty-unpaid cigarettes about to be brought into Singapore.
They were hidden in the tyres of a Singapore-registered rental car, said ICA in a Facebook post on Friday (24 July).
On 16 July, the car attempted to enter Singapore via Woodlands Checkpoint, ICA said.
However, ICA Search & Examination officers directed it for enhanced checks.
Source: Immigration & Checkpoints Authority on Facebook
This came after they noticed that a rear tyre had been punctured, with masking tape and Styrofoam inside its rim.
Source: Immigration & Checkpoints Authority on Facebook
ICA’s video showed officers using a cutter to slice open the car’s tyres.
Source: Immigration & Checkpoints Authority on Facebook
Inside the tyres, yellow packets could be seen.
Source: Immigration & Checkpoints Authority on Facebook
More than 1,200 packets of cigarettes were soon discovered, hidden inside four punctured tyres and one spare tyre.
Source: Immigration & Checkpoints Authority on Facebook
A 47-year-old Singaporean man was subsequently arrested 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.
Also read: ICA seizes over 1,000 vapes hidden in car’s spare tyre compartment at Woodlands Checkpoint
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Featured image adapted from Immigration & Checkpoints Authority on Facebook.