2 males arrested, greater than 2,000 cartons of duty-unpaid cigarettes seized in Yishun

SINGAPORE: Two males have been arrested and greater than 2,000 cartons of duty-unpaid cigarettes have been seized at a multi-storey automobile park close to Yishun Street 42, the Singapore Customs mentioned on Friday (Mar 11).

During the operation on Thursday, officers noticed the lads standing in between two Singapore-registered vans with their facet compartment doorways opened.

The officers noticed many brown containers in one of many vans and suspected that the lads, aged 26 and 31, have been coping with duty-unpaid cigarettes, the company mentioned in a media launch.

They carried out checks and located 2,016 cartons of duty-unpaid cigarettes within the van.

“Officers also found a pouch suspected to contain controlled drugs and drug paraphernalia in the other van,” Singapore Customs mentioned, including that the matter has been referred to the police for additional investigation.

The duty-unpaid cigarettes and the vans have been seized through the operation.

The complete obligation and Goods and Service Tax (GST) evaded amounted to about S$172,160 and S$13,700 respectively, mentioned the company.

The two males have been arrested and investigations are ongoing, Singapore Customs added.

Buying, promoting, conveying, delivering, storing, retaining, having in possession or coping with duty-unpaid items are severe offences underneath the Customs Act and the GST Act, mentioned the company.

Offenders will be fined as much as 40 instances the quantity of obligation and GST evaded, jailed as much as six years, or each.

Vehicles used within the fee of such offences and proceeds of gross sales of duty-unpaid cigarettes are additionally liable to be forfeited.

2 men arrested, more than 2,000 cartons of duty-unpaid cigarettes seized in Yishun