ICA Foils Attempt to Smuggle Cigarettes into Singapore

Smoking is expensive and deadly. To reduce the number of people smoking, the authorities have not only increased the minimum age for smoking from 19 to 20 years old last year but they are hiking up the cost of cigarettes as well.

However, smoking is an addiction that is difficult to kick. Thus, smokers have to be creative and get cheaper cigarettes from elsewhere.

That’s where the idea of smuggling cigarettes comes in.

Smuggle Attempt 

On 5 Feb 2021, a 37-year-old Malaysian male attempted to smuggle 1151 cartons and 789 packets of duty-unpaid cigarettes through Tuas Checkpoint before he was stopped by the ICA officers.

The floorboard of the Malaysia-registered lorry was filled with contraband items.

He could have gotten away with the attempt but the ICA officers found anomalies in the X-ray images of the lorry transporting wall panels.

So, they did an unboxing video.

They Never Learn                                                         

On Aug 18, 2020, a 47-year-old Malaysian tried to smuggle over 5,000 cartons of duty-unpaid cigarettes under a Malaysian-registered lorry through Tuas-Checkpoint.

He was charged in court for evading the duty of $429,310 and the goods and services tax of $34,760.

There are so many other attempts where people think they can get away with smuggling tons of contraband cigarettes in Singapore but they always get caught. These people never learn from others’ mistakes.

On the bright side, at least these attempts are better than smuggling cigarettes between pieces of bread.

Attempts to Smuggle E-Cigarettes

In case you’re wondering why you do not often walk through an aromatic puff of smoke, that’s because e-cigarettes are banned in Singapore.

However, you know how rebellious some of us are. The more the government don’t allow, the more we want to do them.

On 15 June 2020, over 6,000 pieces of prohibited e-vaporiser cartridges were seized.

It is illegal to import vaporisers into Singapore. Anyone found doing that will be liable to a fine of up to $10,000 and/or up to 6 months’ jail.

If you are a brave soul and feel like $10,000 and 6 months in jail is a small sum to pay, you can try to smuggle them into Singapore again. Just risk the chance of being fined up to $20,000 and/or up to 12 months’ jail.

No Prohibited Goods Allowed in Singapore 

Be it e-cigarettes or contraband cigarettes, smuggling prohibited goods into Singapore is not a good idea. Here is a list of prohibited goods you should not bring into our little red dot:

• Chewing Gum
• Tobacco and Fake Tobacco products
• Cigarette lighters in the shape of a pistol or revolver
• Drugs
• Firecrackers
• Obscene articles, publications and other forms of media
• Reproductions of copyright publications and other forms of media
• Seditious and treasonable materials

Feature Image: Shutterstock.com / vladee