ICA seizes 6,000 cartons of contraband cigarettes concealed in game machines

Officers of Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) seized 6,000 cartons of duty-unpaid cigarettes concealed in game machines at a warehouse situated along Tuas Avenue 3.

The seized contraband of cigarettes which were concealed within specially-hollowed game machines. Photo courtesy: ICA

ICA officers conducted checks on a 40-foot container where officers detected anomalies in the scanned images of the consignment declared to contain ten ‘Game Machines’.

The container was earlier presented for clearance at the Pasir Panjang Scanning Station.

“During the course of checks, the officers noticed the game machines were locked. This further aroused the officers’ suspicion and they proceeded to pry open a game machine for closer examination,” said ICA in a press release.

The game machines which were used to conceal the duty-unpaid cigarettes. Photo courtesy: ICA

“Officers found the interior of the game machine to be hollow and contained duty-unpaid cigarettes wrapped in several black bundles,” it added.

During the ICA operation, a total of 6,000 cartons of duty-unpaid cigarettes were seized. The total duty and Goods and Services Tax (GST) evaded amounted to about SGD512,400 and SGD7,780 respectively.

“The case has been handed over to Singapore Customs for further investigation,” said ICA.

“Safeguarding Singapore’s borders remains ICA’s top priority. ICA will continue to conduct security checks on passengers, cargos and vehicles at the checkpoints to prevent attempts to smuggle undesirable persons, drugs, weapons, explosives and other contrabands across our borders,” it added.