Sinoh Trading Pte. Ltd has been fined $4,000 by the Court on 11 September 2024 for illegally importing meat products into Singapore without a valid permit. Additionally, its Sales Manager, Zhang Lu, was also fined $4,000 for failing to prevent the offence from being committed.

2.          On 2 Jan 2024, Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) officers at the Pasir Panjang Scanning Station detected anomalies after conducting a radiographic scan of a 40- foot container. Subsequently, further checks by ICA officers uncovered undeclared meat products. The case was then referred to the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) for investigation.

3.          SFA’s investigation found more than 400kg of meat products were illegally imported from China without a valid permit. The illegal consignment containing meat products such as Chinese ham, waxed duck leg, and processed duck kidney, was seized by SFA.

Consignment of meat products seized (Photo: SFA).

4.          In Singapore, food imports must meet SFA’s requirements. Illegally imported food products of unknown sources can pose a food safety risk. Food can only be imported by licensed importers, and every consignment must be declared and accompanied with a valid import permit. In addition, meat and its products can only be imported from accredited sources in approved countries that comply with our food safety requirements.

5.          Offenders found in possession for the purpose of selling meat and meat products that are illegally imported shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $10,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months or to both and, in the case of a second or subsequent conviction, to a fine not exceeding $20,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 2 years or to both.

6.         Safeguarding Singapore’s borders remains a top priority for ICA. ICA will continue to conduct security checks to detect and deter illegal importation attempts to keep Singapore safe. SFA will continue to safeguard food safety through our integrated food safety system, which includes strict import regulations and enforcement, and work closely with border control agencies to deter illegal importation across our borders.