SINGAPORE Customs on Tuesday seized the largest haul of contraband cigarettes this year - a full container load of 233,500 packets.

The duty-unpaid cigarettes are worth about $2.1 million, and the duty and GST involved amount to $1.8 million.

Six men - five Singaporeans and Malaysian, aged between 38 and 52 - were arrested. Also seized were three vans and one saloon car.

Acting on a tip-off, Singapore Customs mounted a surveillance at a warehouse building along Lower Delta Road on Tuesday morning.

At about 10.45 am, six suspicious looking men and two vans arrived at Block 1093, Lower Delta Road and started unloading boxes from a container parked at the building's unloading bay onto the two vans.

When the first van was full, the men began transferring the boxes to the second van.

Customs officers moved in and arrested the men. The boxes were opened and found to contain duty-unpaid cigarettes.

The six suspects will be charged in court on Wednesday.

Mr Lee Boon Chong, Assistant Director-General of Customs (Intelligence & Investigation) said: 'Our intelligence and investigations efforts have paid off. We have successfully stopped the large haul of illegal cigarettes from proliferating inland.'

'We are sending a stern warning to potential smugglers not to take any chances as Singapore Customs has intensified enforcement to curb the illegal trade of cigarettes. The public can also help in our enforcement by staying clear of duty-unpaid cigarettes, and to report any of such illegal activities to Singapore Customs.'

Buying, selling, conveying, delivering, storing, keeping, having in possession or dealing with contraband cigarettes are serious offences under the Customs and GST Acts, which carry stiff penalties.

Offenders can be jailed as well as fined, and their vehicles forfeited.

The public are strongly advised not to buy duty-unpaid cigarettes. For possessing a packet of duty-unpaid cigarettes, an offender can be fined up to $500 or charged in court.

Members of the public with information on smuggling activities or evasion of Customs duty or GST can contact the Singapore Customs Hotline at 1800-2330000 or email to customs_intelligence@customs.gov.sg.