In its ongoing efforts to detect and deter tax evasion, Singapore Customs conducted operations on 31 January 2024 at Jurong West Street 74 and Bukit Batok Street 31.
Two male Singaporeans, aged 21 and 24, were arrested, with 4,420 cartons of duty-unpaid cigarettes and two vans seized. The total duty and Goods and Services Tax (GST) evaded from both operations amounted to about $542,959.
In the operation conducted at a multi-storey carpark in Jurong West Street 74, officers sighted a man walking towards a van suspected to contain duty-unpaid cigarettes and uncovered 2,680 cartons of duty-unpaid cigarettes in the rear compartment of the van. The 21-year-old man was arrested, and the duty-unpaid cigarettes and the van were seized. Following up from the first operation, officers conducted another operation at an open carpark in Bukit Batok Street 31 where a man was seen standing suspiciously beside a van. Officers found 1,740 cartons of duty-unpaid cigarettes in the rear compartment of the van.
Officers arrested the 24-year-old man and seized the duty-unpaid cigarettes and the van. Investigations revealed that the 24-year-old man received instructions on the collection and delivery locations for the duty-unpaid cigarettes via a social messaging platform. He would then relay the information to the younger man, who was allegedly engaged by him to assist in the collection and delivery of the duty-unpaid cigarettes. Court proceedings are ongoing for both men. Buying, selling, conveying, delivering, storing, keeping, possessing or dealing with duty-unpaid goods are serious offences under the Customs Act and the GST Act.
Offenders can be fined up to 40 times the amount of duty, and GST evaded and/or jailed for up to six years. Vehicles used in committing such offences are also liable to be forfeited.
Members of the public with information on suspected cases of tax evasion are encouraged to report them to Singapore Customs.
Image Source : Singapore Customs