SINGAPORE – A total of 2,900 cartons of duty-unpaid cigarettes were seized by Singapore Customs officers in an operation in Yishun on Dec 20. The goods and services tax (GST) evaded amounted to $342,134.

A 31-year-old Singaporean man was arrested, said Singapore Customs.

During the raid at a carpark in Yishun Avenue 5, the officers saw a man opening the door of a van suspected to contain duty-unpaid cigarettes.

Upon checking, they uncovered the cartons of cigarettes, which were packed inside brown boxes kept within the van’s cargo compartment.

Investigations showed that the man was engaged by an unknown person to collect and deliver boxes containing duty-unpaid cigarettes.

Singapore Customs has initiated court proceedings against the man.

The authority warned that buying, selling, possessing and delivering duty-unpaid goods are serious offences under Singapore law.

Offenders can be fined up to 40 times the amount of duty and GST evaded, or jailed for up to six years, or both.

Those with information on smuggling activities or evasion of duty or GST can inform Singapore Customs at go.gov.sg/reportcustomsoffence