Man tries to smuggle 30kg of duty-unpaid tobacco into S'pore as Chinese tea leaves

Unusually smoky flavour.

Guan Zhen Tan | June 28, 2019, 06:43 PM

Another day, another new way of smuggling goods.

Tobacco disguised as tea leaves

According to a Facebook post by the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) on June 28, a 58-year-old Chinese man arrived at Changi Airport on June 26.

He then went to the Red Green Channel baggage screening at Changi Airport Terminal 2.

The Green Channel is for baggage clearance if the traveller does not have controlled or prohibited items to declare, or if they have not exceeded their Duty-Free Concession or GST relief.

The Red Channel is for travellers who have items to declare, or if they are in doubt.

At the screening, an ICA officer sensed that something was amiss, and referred the man for further checks.

The ICA then discovered that the man was carrying 79 packets of duty-unpaid loose tobacco, disguised as Chinese tea leaves.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="1500"]Image may contain: food Image via ICA's Facebook post[/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="1500"]Image may contain: food and indoor Image via ICA's Facebook post[/caption]

30kg worth of tobacco

They weigh a total of about 30kg, concealed in the tea leaves packaging inside his luggage.

The case was handed over to Singapore Customs for further investigations.

The ICA emphasised that they "will continue to conduct security checks on passengers and vehicles to prevent smuggling attempts" of contraband.

They reminded readers that the same methods of concealment could also be used by terrorists to smuggle weapons and explosives in order to carry out attacks on Singapore. 

Possible fine or jail sentence

Buying, selling, conveying, delivering, storing, keeping, having in possession 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 and GST evaded or jailed for up to six years, or both.

Vehicles used to commit such offences may also be forfeited.

You can see the Facebook post below:

Top image via ICA's Facebook post