3 men arrested over evasion of more than $800k in cigarette duties and taxes

Three Malaysian men have been arrested over the evasion of $812,384 in cigarette duties and taxes following an enforcement operation on June 10.

A total of 7,500 cartons of duty-unpaid cigarettes were seized during the operation in Gul Drive, in Tuas, said Singapore Customs in a statement on June 17.

During the operation, Customs officers observed the trio, aged 40, 30 and 24, transferring brown boxes between two Malaysian-registered vehicles, said the statement.

Some 7,400 cartons of duty-unpaid cigarettes were seized from a prime mover attached to a trailer, and another 100 cartons were seized from a multi-purpose vehicle (MPV).

Investigations revealed that the vehicles had entered Singapore separately.

The 30-year-old suspect had allegedly driven the prime mover with cartons of duty-unpaid cigarettes hidden among coffee products. The 24-year-old suspect had allegedly assisted in transferring the cartons to the MPV, while the 40-year-old was allegedly tasked with delivering them to customers in Singapore.

The three suspects are believed to have been recruited by unidentified individuals in Malaysia.

Court proceedings are ongoing.

Those involved in any fraudulent evasion of duty or goods and services tax (GST) can be fined up to 40 times the amount of goods and services tax evaded, jailed for up to six years, or both.

Vehicles seized in such offences will also be forfeited.