SINGAPORE: Singapore customs have caught two people involved in storing and selling contraband cigarettes from their Housing Development Board (HBD) flats situated in Jurong West and Ang Mo Kio, who are later charged with fine, reported Singapore Customs.
At least 660 packets of duty-unpaid cigarettes were recovered at the Corporation Drive flat of 51-year-old Sujono Bin Kassan, while 105 packets were found at an Ang Mo Kio Avenue 4 flat belonging to 51-year-old Teo Siew Choo on Sept 23.
Both were arrested as Sujono “had been selling the duty-unpaid cigarettes to residents in his neighbourhood”, while Teo was taken in “for her involvement in peddling the cigarettes”, according to Singapore Customs.
Both have been charged and fined by the State Courts. Sujono racked up almost S$6,955 unpaid Goods and Services Tax (GST) as well as three months of imprisonment and fines totalling S$3,000 or an equivalent of 15 days of imprisonment. Teo racked up almost S$895 and was sentenced to six weeks of imprisonment.
37 such offenders have been arrested from January to September this year, Singapore Customs said.
Mr Lim Guan Cheong, Head of Suppression and Community Engagement said Singapore Customs “will not let up on our enforcement efforts in HDB estates”, and urged members of the public to contact them if they come across illegal cigarette activities in their housing estate.
Those caught buying, selling, conveying, delivering, storing, keeping, possessing or dealing duty unpaid goods are liable to a fine of up to 40 times the amount of duty evaded, or imprisonment for up to six years, or both. Fines are S$2,000 to S$4,000 for first-time and repeat offenders respectively, while those caught with more than two kilograms of tobacco products face mandatory imprisonment.
