SINGAPORE — The Singapore Customs seized 2,900 cartons of duty-unpaid cigarettes during an operation at a car park along Yishun Avenue 5 on Wednesday (Dec 20).

The total duty and Goods and Services Tax (GST) evaded amounted to about S$342,134, the agency said, adding that it arrested a 31-year-old Singaporean man during the raid.

In a statement on Friday, Singapore Customs said that during the operation, its officers saw a man opening the door of a van suspected of containing duty-unpaid cigarettes. 

The cigarettes were packed inside brown boxes and kept in the van’s cargo compartment.

“Investigations revealed that the man was allegedly engaged by an unknown person to collect and deliver boxes containing duty-unpaid cigarettes,” Singapore Customs said. 

Court proceedings are ongoing.

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 tax evaded and be jailed for up to six years.

Singapore Customs said that members of the public with information on smuggling activities, or evasion of duty or GST, may provide information through its website.