Oct.12 (GMM) Singapore’s strict tobacco rules caused more trouble in the Formula 1 paddock over the weekend, with Bild reporting that a journalist and two team employees were stopped carrying untaxed cigarettes.
The Japanese journalist told Bild he had bought the cigarettes while covering the previous race in Malaysia.
“I brought them with me here and didn’t think anything of it,” he said.
He said Saturday’s paddock checks were particularly strict.
“The inspectors looked very closely in my backpack and found the cigarettes. The police officers there immediately waved me out of the queue and made me wait to the side.”
“Behind me were two members of two different racing teams. They also had untaxed cigarettes with them.”
He added that others in the queue quickly became nervous: “Some of them saw what happened to us and frantically hid their cigarettes, or turned around again.”
He said the three offenders were then taken to a separate room, where their personal details were recorded.
“My passport was photographed, my phone number was recorded, and they wanted to know which hotel I was staying at,” he recounted.
He said he was later allowed into the paddock and was still waiting to hear whether he would be fined.
“We were told we’d be informed by text message or phone call. I just hope it’s not too high.”
Bild reports that a fine of up to 200 Singapore dollars per opened packet is possible.