SINGAPORE – A man was arrested in Geylang East on Dec 28, 2023, after 1,356 cartons of contraband cigarettes were found in his company’s truck.

The Singapore Customs said on Jan 4 that the cigarettes were uncovered in an operation at a carpark in Geylang East Avenue 1.

During the operation, officers discovered the cartons and 3,190 packets of duty-unpaid cigarettes in the truck’s cargo compartment. The man, a 32-year-old Chinese national, was arrested, while the cigarettes and the truck were seized.

Investigations revealed that the man was allegedly tasked by an unknown person on social messaging platform WeChat to collect and deliver the cigarettes.

The man was employed as a delivery driver by a food company, and had used his company’s truck to transport the cigarettes, the Singapore Customs said.

The total duty and goods and services tax (GST) evaded amounted to $179,292.

Court proceedings for the case are ongoing.

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.

Vehicles used in such illegal activities can also be forfeited.

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