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Singaporean Woman Pleaded Guilty to the Charge of Hindering Government Officers in the Execution of their Duties
On 22nd November 2005, Mdm Tan Chai Peng, a Singaporean woman pleaded guilty to the charge of hindering Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) Officers in the execution of their duties. She was fined $3,000 by the subordinate court. The charge of importing two roast geese from China was taken into consideration in sentencing.
2 Mdm Tan had returned to Singapore from China on 30th September 2005 at about 7.40 pm through the Changi International Airport Terminal 2. ICA officers noticed that she had brought two roast geese from China with her to Singapore. Mdm Tan was informed she had to surrender the two roast geese for disposal, as she did not have a licence to bring them in. She hindered the ICA officers in the execution of their duties by refusing to surrender the roast geese brought from China and subsequently throwing the roast geese onto the floor.
3 Under Singapore laws, a licence and a permit are required from the Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority (AVA) before importing meat and meat products into Singapore. Mdm Tan did not have the required licence. Under the Wholesome Meat and Fish Act,a person guilty of such an offence can be fined up to $50,000 or imprisoned for up to 2 years or both. Under the same Act, it is also an offence for anyone to obstruct, hinder or impede any authorized officer in the performance or execution of his duty. The penalty for such an offence is a fine of up to $10,000 or to imprisonment for up to 12 months or to both.
4 AVA, however, recognises that travellers may wish to bring certain meat products from overseas for personal consumption. Therefore, AVA grants exemptions to travellers from the AVA permit for small quantities of meat products meant strictly for personal consumption. However, these meat products may only be brought from countries which have been approved by AVA. The personal allowance is 5 kg per person provided that the total quantity of beef, mutton, pork and poultry does not exceed 5 kg per person. For example, beef, mutton, pork and poultry in any form from Malaysia, Thailand, China and Indonesia, India and other non-approved countries are not allowed to be brought into Singapore. Any unapproved meat products or meat products from unapproved countries will be confiscated at the point of entry. The person who brought in the products may receive a warning, a composition fine or be prosecuted in court. The public can visit AVA’s website at www.ava.gov.sg for the latest listing of food products (and the quantity) that can be brought into Singapore for personal consumption.
5 As our country's first line of defence against terrorist threats, ICA has a duty to ensure the security and safety of Singapore. We have tightened our security checks on passengers and vehicles at the checkpoints to prevent attempts to smuggle in undesirable persons, drugs, weapons, explosives and contraband items. We would like to advise the public against smuggling unlawful goods into Singapore.
END OF NEWS RELEASE
Jointly Issued by
Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority (AVA)
Ministry of National Development
and
Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA)
Ministry of Home Affairs
on 24 November 2005
2 Mdm Tan had returned to Singapore from China on 30th September 2005 at about 7.40 pm through the Changi International Airport Terminal 2. ICA officers noticed that she had brought two roast geese from China with her to Singapore. Mdm Tan was informed she had to surrender the two roast geese for disposal, as she did not have a licence to bring them in. She hindered the ICA officers in the execution of their duties by refusing to surrender the roast geese brought from China and subsequently throwing the roast geese onto the floor.
3 Under Singapore laws, a licence and a permit are required from the Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority (AVA) before importing meat and meat products into Singapore. Mdm Tan did not have the required licence. Under the Wholesome Meat and Fish Act,a person guilty of such an offence can be fined up to $50,000 or imprisoned for up to 2 years or both. Under the same Act, it is also an offence for anyone to obstruct, hinder or impede any authorized officer in the performance or execution of his duty. The penalty for such an offence is a fine of up to $10,000 or to imprisonment for up to 12 months or to both.
4 AVA, however, recognises that travellers may wish to bring certain meat products from overseas for personal consumption. Therefore, AVA grants exemptions to travellers from the AVA permit for small quantities of meat products meant strictly for personal consumption. However, these meat products may only be brought from countries which have been approved by AVA. The personal allowance is 5 kg per person provided that the total quantity of beef, mutton, pork and poultry does not exceed 5 kg per person. For example, beef, mutton, pork and poultry in any form from Malaysia, Thailand, China and Indonesia, India and other non-approved countries are not allowed to be brought into Singapore. Any unapproved meat products or meat products from unapproved countries will be confiscated at the point of entry. The person who brought in the products may receive a warning, a composition fine or be prosecuted in court. The public can visit AVA’s website at www.ava.gov.sg for the latest listing of food products (and the quantity) that can be brought into Singapore for personal consumption.
5 As our country's first line of defence against terrorist threats, ICA has a duty to ensure the security and safety of Singapore. We have tightened our security checks on passengers and vehicles at the checkpoints to prevent attempts to smuggle in undesirable persons, drugs, weapons, explosives and contraband items. We would like to advise the public against smuggling unlawful goods into Singapore.
END OF NEWS RELEASE
Jointly Issued by
Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority (AVA)
Ministry of National Development
and
Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA)
Ministry of Home Affairs
on 24 November 2005