Singapore Customs has foiled a syndicate's bid to smuggle contraband cigarettes worth $1.2 million into the country.

A total of 123, 440 packets of cigarettes were seized in two separate operations.

On October 4 this year, Singapore Customs officers trailed a suspect at Tagore Industrial Estate. He had moved five pallets of boxes into a warehouse which was suspected to be involved in dealing with contraband cigarettes.

The officers detained the man and escorted him back to the warehouse to inspect the boxes.

The boxes contained 60 units of subwoofers, which were discovered to be hollowed out and stuffed with 89,980 packets of contraband cigarettes.

The 29-year-old man was arrested and charged in court on October 6.

In another operation on October 9, Singapore Customs officers raided a store at Woodlands Industrial Park.

There officers found five crates containing bamboo poles, and upon further inspection revealed 33,460 packets of contraband cigarettes neatly packed under the bamboo poles.

The 30-year-old importer of the crates was arrested and charged in court on 10 Oct 08.

The duty and GST involved in the cigarettes from the two cases amounted to more than $945,200.

Assistant-Director General of Customs (Investigation & Intelligence), Mr Lee Boon Chong said, "No matter how 'ingenious' smugglers are, our enforcement and intelligence will ultimately prevail. We warn offenders not to even consider taking a chance with us."