4 men on wooden craft arrested for entering S'pore illegally, possessing duty-unpaid cigarettes

The Police Coast Guard (PCG) have arrested four men, aged between 18 and 63, for unlawful entry into Singapore and possession of duty-unpaid cigarettes.

On Thursday (July 25) at about 1am, PCG detected a wooden craft with the four men on board at sea off Eastern Holding Anchorage, within Singapore territorial waters.

The wooden craft was swiftly intercepted and all four were arrested for unlawful entry into Singapore.

A check was conducted on the wooden craft and an assortment of duty-unpaid cigarettes were found.

Buying, selling, conveying, delivering, storing, keeping, having in possession or dealing with duty-unpaid goods are serious offences under the Customs Act and the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Act.

Offenders will face a fine up to 40 times the amount of duty and GST evaded and/or jailed up to six years.

The men will be charged in court on Friday (July 26) with unlawful entry into Singapore under the Immigration Act. 

If convicted, the will face a jail term of up to six months and at least three strokes of the cane.