JOHOR BARU: A lorry with a Malaysian registration number and its driver were detained by Singaporean authorities at the Tuas checkpoint yesterday for transporting 2,700 cartons of cigarettes with unpaid duties.
Its Immigration and Checkpoints Authority, through a status update on its Facebook page, said the incident occurred at about 3am.
ICA said its officers had stopped the lorry, driven by a 50-year-old Malaysian man and carried out checks on the vehicle.
“ICA officers then found 2,700 cartons of duty-free cigarettes hidden in the vehicle which was declared (to transport) medical-related products or equipment,” it said, adding that the case was referred to Singapore Immigration Department for further investigation.
It said the border was the country’s first line of defence in safeguarding the national security.
Thus, ICA would continue carrying out security checks on passengers and vehicles to foil any attempt to smuggle persons, drugs, weapons, explosives and other contrabands.