SINGAPORE : Over 570 people were caught with duty-unpaid cigarettes within the first month of a new law that requires all

legal cigarettes to have a special SDPC (Singapore Duty-Paid Cigarettes) marking. The law came into effect on January 1.

In its annual enforcement report, Singapore Customs said the number of cigarette offenders has gone down for the first time since 2005.

Last year, over 20,300 people were caught with contraband cigarettes, down 13 per cent from 2007.

Singapore Customs said the drop is due to its enforcement and public outreach efforts.

But more illegal cigarettes were seized – 4.6 million packets, involving S$35.5 million in evaded taxes. That was 5 per cent more than the quantity seized in 2007.

More people have also been charged for dealing in contraband cigarettes – 1,382 in 2008, compared to 1,314 in 2007 and 1,186 in 2006.

Over 6,300 people were caught last year for buying and smoking contraband cigarettes – up 6 per cent from 2007.