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Thursday, Nov 29, 2012
SINGAPORE: From next year March, all cigarettes sold in Singapore will have a revised 'SDPC' (Singapore Duty-Paid Cigarette) mark.
In addition to the letters 'SDPC', the new mark will feature a series of vertical bars around the cigarette stick (see illustration above).
The revised mark is a measure to visibly differentiate duty-paid cigarettes from duty-unpaid ones, or contraband cigarettes, and to enhance the effectiveness of curbing the selling, buying and possession of such cigarettes, said Singapore Customs today.
Cigarettes bearing this new mark will be allowed for sale from Dec 1 to give manufacturers and retailers more time to phase in the revised mark.
From March 1, all cigarettes without the revised 'SDPC' mark will be deemed to be duty-unpaid and illegal, and offenders are liable to a fine or jail for up to six years.
Arriving travellers and returning Singaporeans who bring in cigarettes from overseas for their own consumption are required to declare them at the Customs red channel for payment of duty and Goods and Services Tax.
