The next time you come across a high-paying job offer online, be extra careful.
11 drivers who signed up for these high-paying job offers through social media such as Facebook and Carousell have paid a high price for their actions.
From January to September 2017, 11 drivers were jailed for their involvement in trafficking duty-unpaid cigarette activities.
These drivers were charged in court and sentenced to between 4 to 8 months imprisonment.
Attractive offer too good to be true
You may have seen such advertisement on Carousell where the advertiser is looking to hire part-time driver to drive for them and not Uber and Grab.
They promised up to $5000 basic salary, allow flexible working hours and provide a car for the driver that can be driven home.
Too good to be true? It probably is.
Investigation revealed that drivers were promised a reward of $400 to $500 per trip.
Their assignment is to ‘deliver’ duty unpaid cigarettes from Johor Bahru into Singapore. The ‘company’ also provides a modified company car for the delivery.
High price to pay
Buying, selling, conveying, delivering, storing, keeping, having in possession or dealing with duty-unpaid goods are serious offences under the Customs Act and the Goods and Services Tax Act.
Offenders will be severely dealt with. They can be fined up to 40 times the amount of duty and GST evaded and/or jailed for up to six years.
Repeat offenders who are caught with more than two kilo of tobacco products will face mandatory imprisonment.
Vehicles used in committing the offences are also liable to be forfeited.
Very High risk for Low Returns
The reward is tempting but the punishment is harsher.
Besides facing a heavy fine and possible jail time, drivers risk losing their vocational licences and their vehicle. The financial loss from getting caught far outweighs the return offered by the traffickers.
It is a challenging time to be driving private-hire where drivers are faced with low fares and increasing requirements. However, it is better to bite the bullet and live to fight another day than to make a rash mistake that will hurt you and your family for life.
