Man caught smuggling cigarettes hidden in loaves of bread at Woodlands Checkpoint

SINGAPORE: A Malaysian man was caught on Sunday (Dec 8) attempting to smuggle into Singapore 32 packets of duty-unpaid cigarettes hidden in loaves of bread.

The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) said the 52-year-old man was carrying four loaves of bread and had been behaving suspiciously at the Woodlands Checkpoint’s arrival hall.

ICA officers stopped him and found cigarette packs sandwiched between the slices of bread. The case has been referred to Singapore Customs for further investigation, ICA said.

“This method of concealment is a cause for concern as similar methods may be used by people with ill intent to smuggle security items into Singapore,” ICA added. This is not the first time that food items have been used to smuggle contraband cigarettes into Singapore.

In February, a Malaysian man was caught at Woodlands Checkpoint with packets of cigarettes in a hollowed-out loaf of bread. More than 2,000 cartons of duty-unpaid cigarettes were also found hidden in ice boxes of seafood at Woodlands Checkpoint in November last year.

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/ica-woodlands-checkpoint-malaysia-smuggle-cigarettes-bread-12175196