Contraband cigarettes and drugs detected in a day

On 22 October 2016 at about 6.40am, officers from the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) directed an arriving Malaysia-registered bus Pekerja, driven by a 34-year-old male Malaysian, for further checks upon its arrival at the Tuas checkpoint.

During the course of inspection, ICA officers found 2,524 cartons of contraband cigarettes in modified compartments of the bus. The driver, contraband cigarettes and vehicle were handed over to Singapore Customs for further investigation. The potential duty and GST amounted to about $195,860 and $18,680 respectively. The vehicle used in conveying the contraband will be liable for forfeiture.

Contraband cigarettes hidden in modified compartments

Contraband cigarettes detected

On the same day at about 9.40pm, ICA officers at the Tuas checkpoint directed an arriving Malaysia-registered motorcycle ridden by a 32-year-old male Malaysian for further checks. During the course of inspection, officers noticed a bag containing 3-in-1 coffee mix sachets in the motorcycle’s centre basket. Upon opening the packet of coffee mix, officers found a packet of methamphetamine (‘Ice’) weighing approximately 500g hidden amongst sachets of 3-in-1 coffee mix. The motorcyclist and the seized exhibits, worth more than S$75,000, were referred to the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB).

From the swift follow-up investigations by CNB, the suspected intended recipient of the drugs, a 37-year-old male Malaysian, was arrested in the vicinity of Jurong West Avenue 1. A 33-year-old female Malaysian suspected drug abuser was also arrested.

Investigations into the drug activities of all the suspects are ongoing. The Misuse of Drugs Act provides for the death penalty if the amount of methamphetamine trafficked exceeds 250g. 250g of methamphetamine is sufficient to feed the addiction of about 185 abusers for a week[1].

‘Ice’ detected at Tuas Checkpoint on 22 October 2016

Our borders are our first line of defence in safeguarding Singapore's security. The enhanced security checks are critical to our nation’s security. We have tightened our security checks on passengers and vehicles at the checkpoints to prevent attempts to smuggle in undesirable persons, drugs, weapons, explosives and other contrabands. The same methods of concealment used by contraband smugglers may be used by terrorists to smuggle arms and explosives to carry out attacks in Singapore.

IMMIGRATION & CHECKPOINTS AUTHORITY
CENTRAL NARCOTICS BUREAU
23 OCTOBER 2016

[1] This is estimated using a typical purity level of about 77%, based on drug seizures in recent years.