SINGAPORE: Food importer Siribun was fined S$7,500 (US$5,540) on Monday (Aug 14) for illegally importing more than 810kg of meat and seafood products, as well as processed food.
The company’s director, Aseethimang Siriwan, was fined the same amount for failing to prevent the offence from being committed.
Officers from the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) searched a Malaysia-registered container when it was being unloaded in Tampines. It entered Singapore through Tuas Checkpoint.
SFA found that the company had illegally imported meat and seafood products, as well as processed food.
In the cargo permits, the illegal food items were falsely declared as imported fresh vegetables and other food products.
All illegal consignments were seized, said SFA and the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) in a joint media release.
Food imported into Singapore must meet SFA’s requirements, said the authorities.
“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,” they added.
Meat and meat products can only be imported from accredited sources in approved countries that comply with Singapore’s food safety requirements.
Those who import meat and seafood products illegally without a valid import permit may be fined up to S$10,000, jailed for up to 12 months, or both. Repeat offenders face a fine of up to S$20,000, a maximum jail term of two years, or both.