ICA Officers Find 790 Cartons Of Duty-Unpaid Cigarettes Hidden Inside Tyres
Tires are usually filled with compressed air, but we never thought that they could be filled with cigarettes until today.
On Tuesday (5 Nov), ICA officials unveiled 790 cartons of duty-unpaid cigarettes in Woodlands Checkpoint. A 39-year old Malaysian driver hid the cartons inside the tyres of a lorry.
In a Facebook post, ICA reported how they successfully foiled the creative scheme.
Here’s a summary of their post.
790 cartons of duty-unpaid cigarettes
Cigarette taxes may be expensive but ICA proves that smuggling comes at a steeper price.
Eagle-eyed ICA officials noticed that the lorry had anomalies and conducted further checks. Perhaps the lorry’s tyres didn’t run smoothly because they’re jammed full of cigarettes?
We’ve seen smugglers hide cigarettes in their pants and even durians, though it seems that ICA has to start checking tyres too. Officials found 790 cartons of duty-unpaid cigarettes hidden inside the tyres.
The smuggler, a 39-year-old Malaysian driver, was referred to Singapore Customs for further investigations.
Smugglers may work hard, but ICA works harder. Officials assured the public that they will conduct thorough security checks on goods, vehicles and passengers to safeguard the security of citizens.
Kudos to the officials for foiling the plot
Smoking in Singapore could burn your pockets because of the high cost of taxation.
Local smokers might be tempted to purchase from smugglers who could offer cheaper prices. However, violation of the Customs Act leads to a penalty of up to S$5,000 and charges in court based on the severity of the offence.
Don’t risk it. Really.
Kudos to the officials for foiling this creative plot. Here’s to hoping this will be the last time smugglers will hide items on their tyres.
Featured image from Facebook.
