SINGAPORE: Nearly 180kg of assorted meat products and processed food products were uncovered by Immigration & Checkpoints Authority officers after anomalies were detected during the scanning of a container on Jan 27, 2022.
Mei Hua, a Chinese national, was fined S$12,000 (US$9055) on Monday (May 8) for illegally 101.45kg of assorted meat products and 73.65kg of processed food products, following an investigation by the Singapore Food Agency (SFA).
The products included duck blood, pig blood, pancakes and sunflower seeds, SFA said in a press release.
The assorted meat products were imported without a valid permit, while the processed food products were undeclared, it added.
The illegal consignments have since been seized and destroyed, said SFA.
The agency noted that food imports into Singapore must meet its requirements.
Illegally imported food products from unknown sources can pose a food safety risk, it added.
“Food can only be imported by licensed importers, and every consignment must be declared and accompanied with a valid import permit,” said SFA.
Meat products can only be imported from accredited sources in approved countries that comply with our food safety standards and requirements, the agency added.
Those who illegally import meat products from unapproved sources can be fined S$50,000, jailed for up to two years or both. Those who illegally import processed food can be fined S$1,000.