Two separate cars carrying contraband items - DVDs and cigarettes - from Malaysia were stopped by the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) at Woodlands Checkpoint on the evening of Jan 5.

The first car that was stopped for inspection that night was a black Malaysia-registered Kia Spectra.

Customs officers found optical discs wrapped in plastic hidden in the car's modified fuel tank, rear fender and rear boot cover.

The lone 25-year-old Malaysian Chinese driver admitted to smuggling 2,071 pieces of uncensored and obscene discs.

He has been handed over to the Singapore Police Force for further investigations and if found guilty, he will be fined up to $10,000 per disc under the Copyright Act and might face a jail term of up to 5 years.

He will also be fined at least $1,000 per obscene film and might also face a jail term of up to 12 months.

This man was not the only person who was attempting to smuggle illegal goods to Singapore. On the same night, ICA officers at the checkpoint thwarted another smuggling attempt.

A 32-year-old Malay male was caught smuggling a total of 115 cartons of duty-unpaid cigarettes which were hidden beneath a modified floorboard and fuel tank.

The potential Customs duty and GST payable for the contraband cigarettes amount to about $11,000 and $990 respectively. He will also be fined up to 20 times the amount of duty evaded and face a maximum jail term of three years, depending on whether he is a first time offender.

Both vehicles used to transport the smuggled items have been seized.