Driver gets two years' jail for smuggling duty-unpaid
cigarettes
SINGAPORE: A 21-year-old Malaysian driver, Selva Rajoo
Kumarwell, was sentenced to two years' jail, after the Singapore
Customs and Immigration and Checkpoints Authority foiled his
attempt to smuggle 20,970 packets of illegal cigarettes into
Singapore without paying duties and taxes.
The cigarettes seized are worth over S$200,000. Taxes on them would
have been more than S$161,000.
The cigarettes were hidden under the cover-load of bricks, beneath
the floorboard of a trailer.
The vehicle was stopped at the Tuas Checkpoint at about 3am on
Saturday after Singapore Customs received a tip-off.
Investigations revealed that the driver was hired to smuggle
cigarettes from Malaysia into Singapore.
For every successful delivery, the driver would be paid
RM1,000.
In the first three months, 298 offenders were arrested and charged
in court for dealing with illegal cigarettes.
Anyone convicted of smuggling duty-unpaid cigarettes faces a jail
term and/or a fine of up to 20 times the duty and GST evaded.
Members of the public with information on smuggling activities or
evasion of customs duty or GST should contact the Singapore Customs
Hotline at 1800-2330000 or email to
[email protected]
- CNA/yt