SINGAPORE - A total of 3,100 biscuit boxes were found to contain smuggled cigarettes during a vehicle check at a checkpoint on Thursday (June 29), the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) said on Friday.

A lorry from Malaysia was stopped for checks at 3.45am on Thursday at Tuas Checkpoint.

The goods in the lorry were declared to be assorted biscuits.

Instead, ICA officers found 3,100 cartons of duty-unpaid cigarettes concealed within the consignment.

The total duty evaded is $240,560 and the goods and services tax unpaid amounts to about $17,820, ICA said.

The driver, a 29-year-old Malaysian man and his companion, a 21-year-old Malaysian man, were both handed over to Singapore Customs for investigations.

The vehicle used may be forfeited.

"The ICA will continue to conduct security checks on passengers and vehicles at the checkpoints to prevent attempts to smuggle in undesirable persons, drugs, weapons, explosives and other contrabands," ICA said.

"The same methods of concealment used by contraband smugglers may be used by terrorists to smuggle arms and explosives to carry out attacks in Singapore."