Illegal cigarette peddlers finally caught
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Nowadays, somewhere at Yew Tee Industrial Estate, I noticed that there are plenty of illegal cigarette peddlers around the area. It was been there since mid-Jan 2006, while I witnessed it by my family in a car.
But with the sign of relief, the peddlers were finally caught by the police. Can't take it anymore.
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damn!
there goes my contraband -
Before that, the Police & the Customs are waiting in line before they moved in and arrest them. They tried to run but finally caught, there is nowhere to hide or to escape for them. NO illegal dealers are escaped during arrest.Originally posted by FireIce:damn!
there goes my contraband -
Something good is being done.
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I believe those caught are only small frys, the big boss is always at large
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+1
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I just drove past the Yew Tee place this afternoon and saw the peddlers at work. Customs and Police are either sleeping or putting a token effort in catching these peddlers.
On the other hand, where there is demand, there will be supply despite the best law enforcement efforts. -
how this supply can landed on Singapore Land?Originally posted by dracky:I just drove past the Yew Tee place this afternoon and saw the peddlers at work. Customs and Police are either sleeping or putting a token effort in catching these peddlers.
On the other hand, where there is demand, there will be supply despite the best law enforcement efforts.
what are our Land Check point doing?
what our Sea check point doing?
do not tell me this are "made in Singapore"?
they must have some channel to bring them into Singapore?
OR later they discover a few kilometer tunnel between Singapore & JB? -
Every country have their share of criminals and crooks. Spore is no exception. Its good we are not out of control...Originally posted by zaxis:how this supply can landed on Singapore Land?
what are our Land Check point doing?
what our Sea check point doing?
do not tell me this are "made in Singapore"?
they must have some channel to bring them into Singapore?
OR later they discover a few kilometer tunnel between Singapore & JB? -
Agreed.Originally posted by Meet365.com:I believe those caught are only small frys, the big boss is always at large -
the place will not have peddlers for a while.
after some time, they will be back. -
the place will not have peddlers for a while.
after some time, they will be back.
I think not only for cigarette peddlars but for all illegal stuff like prostitute also same story. One spot check catch a few then the police left, those pros come out again. As long as there is demand there will be supply a law of nature at work I guess.
Legalising them is one way to combat the problem but usually gahmen wanna take money in the form of taxes and duties so those ppl dun wanna give so they play hide and seek lor. A never ending story
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Each country got their own woes & worries but thankfully ours is under control.
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RAID ON CONTRABAND CIGARETTE PEDDLERS
Nipped in the bud
IT was the end of the week for these factory workers at Yew Tee Industrial Estate on Friday.
In panic, illegal cigarette sellers try to blend in with the crowd. Some toss bags of cigarettes on the road.
It was the start of the work day for contraband cigarette peddlers who have been regulars in that area.
For them, this was the perfect time to make a killing as dozens of workers left their workplaces to the bus-stops and carpark.
LAY IN WAIT
They stood in broad daylight, flashing their illegal wares, in full view of passing traffic along Woodlands Road.
Little did they know that it would be the end of the line for their business as the police and customs officials lay in wait.
As cigarettes changed hands for cash, the authorities struck.
About 30 to 40 of them swooped down on the illegal dealers who were still in the midst of their transactions.
They were caught by surprise. They had nowhere to hide.
They tried to run or blend in with the rest of the workers. Some even flung their plastic bags of wares on the street.
But they were too slow as the authorities could tell them apart from the rest of the other stunned eye-witnesses.
Mr Gopinathan, who was buying groceries at a provision shop nearby, said he thought a fight had broken out at first.
Said the Indian foreign worker who is in his 20s: 'I heard shouting and then we saw people dressed like construction workers chasing other construction workers.'
Three Indonesians selling unpaid-duty cigarettes were arrested in the raid, said spokesmen from the police and Singapore Customs.
Another man, an Indian national, was arrested for buying one packet. He was fined $100.
He, along with the three dealers, were detained, handcuffed and taken away in a white van.
A total of 175 packets of unpaid-duty cigarettes were seized, worth a market value of $1,925.
The duty and GST on these cigarettes amounted to $1,311.
The cigarettes were sold for between $5 and $5.50 per packet. Normally, one packet costs between $8.50 and $11.
The New Paper was at the scene about 15 minutes after the raid started.
As the police checked the illegal dealers' belongings and goods, the dealers appeared subdued and frightened, keeping their heads bowed throughout.
Officers also combed the nearby wooded area.
Armed with 1m-long canes, they beat about the undergrowth for hidden packets of cigarettes.
The grassy patch in the industrial estate was littered with empty cigarette carton boxes and plastic bags.
By then, the traffic along Woodlands Road - between Stagmont Ring Road and Yew Industrial Estate - had slowed to a crawl.
The police also blocked the entry into the industrial estate. None of the illegal dealers escaped arrest.
One motorcyclist thought a VIP motorcade was the cause of the traffic slow-down.
The commotion also attracted passers-by as they craned their heads from buses and from across the street for a closer look.
The raid involved officers from the police and Singapore Customs.
They arrived in lorries and cars a few hours before the raid, disguised as factory workers. Some were even dressed as joggers.
One factory worker, who declined to be named, said that normally he would buy a packet from the illegal peddlers on his way home.
'Luckily, I didn't buy today,' he muttered before hurrying away.
The New Paper had reported on the activities of these illegal dealers last year.
Of late, they have been targeting students in the vicinity, resulting in some school principals keeping watch to stop their students from buying the cigarettes.
The place has also been raided several times.
Despite this, shopkeepers in the area predict that that the illegal dealers will return in full force.
Said one: 'After a raid, it's all quiet for a while because they are scared. But you'll see... they will always come back.
'During the recent Chinese New Year holidays, they got even bolder. They would walk across the main road and try to flag down buyers in cars.'
The shopkeepers also admitted that they are losing out to them, but didn't want to reveal the extent of their losses.
The three men arrested for selling the cigarettes were charged in court on Saturday.
If convicted, they could be fined up to 20 times the amount of tax evaded or jailed, or both.
(Source: The New Paper, 6/2/06) -
LATEST: The 2nd Raid has taken place recently.
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24 Indonesians were nabbed (2 have valid travel documents), 14 cartons of cigarettes (on 7 men), 350 loose packs. Officers also uncovered 162 carton of cigarettes in the vicinity.Originally posted by Apex-LW'21:LATEST: The 2nd Raid has taken place recently.
5 Singaporean teenagers were caught buying the cigarettes. -
oni 2 have valid travel documents?Originally posted by Apex-LW'21:24 Indonesians were nabbed (2 have valid travel documents), 14 cartons of cigarettes (on 7 men), 350 loose packs. Officers also uncovered 162 carton of cigarettes in the vicinity.
5 Singaporean teenagers were caught buying the cigarettes.
forget bout the ciggys. im more interested in how 22 people got into sg illegally.... -
the police/customs have no consideration for the 12 year old kids.
I am a 12 year old going cold turkey liao.... how do you expect me to pass my PSLE if i don't have my cigs to keep me going? -
Yup. They tried to find ways to enter SG illegally without the police's eye. After internal investigations, they found out that 2 have valid travel documents.Originally posted by skeujin:oni 2 have valid travel documents?
forget bout the ciggys. im more interested in how 22 people got into sg illegally.... -
LATEST NEWS:
83,000 duty-unpaid cigarettes seized. The raid crippled syndicates that deployed peddlers to Yew Tee to sell the cigarettes. -
wah...the duty officer shiok...got free cigarette.
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duplicate post
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That's why you see there's always police car parking along Yew tee Ind Est last sunday, they were on patrol.
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heard they were quite aggressive and were almost terrorising motorists... ??? yes??? no???
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Yup, they approach passer-bys too.Originally posted by TehJarVu:heard they were quite aggressive and were almost terrorising motorists... ??? yes??? no???