Two men were arrested for evading S$403,067 in duty and Goods and Services Tax (GST), following an operation at an industrial building in Chai Chee Lane on Mar. 25, 2024, by Singapore Customs.

Around 3,000 cartons and 6,900 packets of duty-unpaid cigarettes were seized.

The men, both Malaysians, aged 28 and 44, were charged in court on Mar. 27, 2024.

Seen pushing trolley with boxes towards lorry

According to a press release by Singapore Customs, the men were seen pushing a trolley with boxes towards a lorry parked at a loading and unloading bay in the building.

Officers conducted checks and found a total of 860 cartons and 1,380 packets of duty-unpaid cigarettes on the trolley and in the lorry.

The two men were arrested.

Cigarettes concealed within boxes labelled as biscuits

Officers then conducted follow-up inspections at a storage unit in the same building.

They discovered another 2,168 cartons and 5,533 packets of duty-unpaid cigarettes concealed within boxes labelled as biscuits.

Investigations revealed that both men were allegedly engaged to retrieve the duty-unpaid cigarettes from the boxes labelled as biscuits in the storage unit for repacking before loading them onto the lorry for delivery.

All of the duty-unpaid cigarettes found and the lorry were seized.

Under the Customs Act and the GST Act, offenders who are convicted of buying, selling, conveying, delivering, storing, keeping, possessing or dealing with duty-unpaid goods can be fined up to 40 times the amount of duty and GST evaded, and/ or jailed for up to six years.

The vehicles used in committing such offences are also liable to be forfeited.

Top photos via Singapore Customs