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Buyers nabbed in raid slapped with heavy fines One man is fined $5,000, for a carton; another has to pay $2,000 for two packs of illegal cigarettes By Teh Joo Lin & Chong Chee Kin SILVER Honda stopped along Woodlands Road last week, where the driver bought a carton of cigarettes from a streetside peddler for $50. Seconds later, he was braking again, this time at a police roadblock 300m down Woodlands Road, known as a haven for dealers of contraband smokes. The Singapore Customs fined the driver $5,000, a tally representing the maximum fine of $500 for every pack. The bust on Wednesday signalled that the authorities are not letting up in their battle to stamp out demand for illegal smokes. The same roadblock netted three others, including an 18-year-old taxi passenger fined $2,000 for purchasing two packs. As a repeat offender, he was subject to fines twice as high. The technician said: 'That's one month's pay. I won't be doing this again.' The Straits Times was given a rare insight into how the authorities work to catch buyers, with a first-hand look at the roadblock last week. The barrier was put in place by officers from the Customs and Jurong Police Division. Their 'scouts' planted themselves along Woodlands Road and radioed ahead when they spotted a buy. The driver of the Honda, who did not give his name, was surprised to be nabbed in the dragnet. He later said sheepishly in Mandarin: 'I have bought before, but this is the first time I've been caught. I didn't know they were going to do this.' The four - caught in under an hour - will have to cough up over $10,000 in fines in total. In all, they had bought about 20 packs for $5 each, less than half the price in stores. All were handed the maximum fine. Last year, 6,012 buyers were collared, more than 21/2 times the 2,268 in 2006. Urging the public to resist illegal smokes, a Customs spokesman said: 'Our actions will be more effective if end-consumers stop buying...from illegal peddlers.' The authorities are also targeting peddlers, with 857 caught last year, 12 per cent more than the 763 nabbed in 2006. A day before the roadblock operation, Customs and police officers, including those from the Special Operations Command, had pinned down two more suspects along Woodlands Road. Aged 19 and 28, the two immigration offenders had 118 packs on them, according to the Customs spokesman. He said operations against buyers and sellers will continue at hot spots such as Woodlands Road, as well as islandwide. http://www.straitstimes.com/Free/Sto...ry_212903.html i wonder if his boss needs a new replacement....