Singapore Customs officers arrested four foreign nationals and seized 5,861 cartons of untaxed cigarettes during an operation at an industrial unit in Jurong.
The enforcement operation took place on April 25, 2025, at a unit on Corporation Drive, according to a May 5 statement from Singapore Customs.
Officers spotted and apprehended a man as he opened the door to enter the industrial unit. Inside, they found two more men, multiple brown boxes, and a lorry.
The search revealed 5,861 cartons of untaxed cigarettes and $6,100 in cash, believed to be proceeds from cigarette sales.
The three men arrested at the unit were a 34-year-old Indian national, a 27-year-old Chinese national, and a 22-year-old Malaysian national.
A follow-up investigation connected the case to a fourth suspect – a 47-year-old Malaysian man. He allegedly tried to smuggle untaxed cigarettes into Singapore by driving a lorry from Malaysia on the same day. His suspicious behavior got him caught at Woodlands Checkpoint, where officers immediately arrested him.
The 27-year-old Chinese national and 22-year-old Malaysian were hired by criminals to work at the unit. Their job involved unloading and repackaging untaxed cigarettes. The Indian national was called by the Chinese national to help with the unloading work.
Singapore Customs did not say if the three men at the industrial unit were suspected of trafficking untaxed cigarettes.
The seized cigarettes should have paid duties and taxes totaling approximately $634,851.
Court proceedings have started for the Chinese national and two Malaysian nationals. Investigations into the Indian national are still ongoing.
Under Singapore’s Customs Act and Excise Act, handling untaxed goods is a serious offense. Offenders can face fines up to 40 times the amount of tax evaded, imprisonment for up to six years, or both. Vehicles used in such illegal activities may also be confiscated.
Singapore Customs asks the public to report any tax evasion activities online.
