On 1 July 2016, the Police Coast Guard arrested three men, aged between 35 and 47, who are believed to have smuggled duty-unpaid cigarettes into Singapore.
On 1 July 2016 at 1.45 am, officers from the Police Coast Guard (PCG) checked on the foreign-flagged vessel at the sea off Jurong Port and uncovered 1515 cartons of duty-unpaid cigarettes worth more than S$196,000 hidden inside the cargo hold. The cigarettes were wrapped in black plastic bags. The total duty evaded exceeded S$148,000 and the Goods and Services Tax (GST) evaded exceeded S$13,000. The cigarettes and the vessel involved were seized. Investigation by Singapore Customs is on-going.
Commander of Police Coast Guard, Senior Assistant Commissioner of Police Hsu Sin Yun commended his officers for their vigilance. He said, “PCG will not tolerate any illegal activities in Singapore waters including the smuggling of duty unpaid cigarettes. PCG will continue to step up its checks against such illicit activities.”
Photo of the seized vessel
Duty-unpaid cigarettes hidden in the cargo hole
Cigarettes seized as case exhibits following the arrest
SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE
01 July 2016 @ 6:32 PM