S'PORE DETAINS SIX INDONESIANS FOR SMUGGLING FAGS

By Zakaria Abdul Wahab

SINGAPORE, Aug 19 (Bernama) -- Singapore authorities detained six Indonesian crewmen of a fishing boat after they were found attempting to smuggle contraband cigarettes at Jurong Fishery Port here last Friday.

The Anti-Smuggling Team of the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA)
found the contraband worth over $65,100 stashed in the boat's tampered fuel
container.

The team was inspecting the engine room of the boat when its officers
observed that the paint around the cover of the fuel tank, as well as around the
nut and bolt area, had been scrapped off, ICA said in a statement Tuesday.

Based on the tell-tale signs, the officers proceeded to open the fuel tank
and uncovered 32 packages of polythene bags containing 1,650 cartons of
cigarettes which had the potential duty and GST payable amounting to S$62,300
and S$3,300, respectively.

The suspects, aged between 23 and 45, claimed they were approached by a man
called 'Adi' or 'Pandi' in Tanjung Balai, Indonesia, who promised them S$1,000
each, if they succeeded in smuggling the contraband, ICA said.
-- BERNAMA