Cigarettes, drugs seized at Woodlands Checkpoint

This article is more than 12 months old

Jul 21, 2016 06:01 am

A total of 3,190 cartons and 1,512 packets of duty-unpaid cigarettes were seized in three separate checks at the Woodlands Checkpoint on Tuesday.

The total potential customs duty and goods and services tax involved amounted to about $259,280 and $26,100 respectively, said the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) yesterday.

The first check occurred at 4.15am and involved a lorry. Officers uncovered 2,508 cartons of duty-unpaid cigarettes hidden in 38 pieces of large wooden doors.

At 5.30am, ICA officers seized 439 cartons and 812 packets of duty-unpaid cigarettes, as well as a sachet suspected to contain controlled drugs in a Malaysia-registered car.

The sachet of controlled drugs was recovered from the floor mat of the vehicle, while the duty-unpaid cigarettes were concealed in parts of the car and inside the driver's sling bag.

An hour later, officers seized 243 cartons and 700 packets of duty-unpaid cigarettes from various parts of a Malaysia-registered car.