Illegal cigarette syndicates using budget hotels to
store and sell goods
SINGAPORE: Budget hotels are being used by some syndicates
dealing in illegal cigarettes and other tobacco products.
Singapore Customs said the syndicates have been making use of
budget hotels to store and sell such illegal goods to other
distributors, peddlers and at times, end—consumers in the
street.
Since January this year, 10 persons have been arrested in seven
such hotels and a total of 4,350 packets have been seized.
Last year, 50 people were caught in 20 budget hotels and 12,500
packets of cigarettes seized.
The distributors would usually engage cheap labour to help look
after the stocks hidden in the hotels and hand over such illegal
goods to the buyers.
These low—cost "guardian angels" could double up as salesmen
touting the illegal stuff to hotel guests or to passers—by and
receive a commission for every successful transaction made
Singapore Customs urges hotel management and staff to inform
them whenever they suspect or know of any illegal cigarettes
activities going on in their premises.
This it said will help to keep illegal activities out and
provide greater level of safety and security to their guests.
It also urges the hotels to maintain proper records of their
guests’ identities.
— 938LIVE/vm