Food importer and director fined $7,500 each for illegally importing over 810kg of food products
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SFA found over 810kg of meat and seafood products, along with about 4kg of processed food that were imported illegally.
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SINGAPORE - Food importer Siribun and its director were each fined $7,500 in relation to the illegal import of over 810kg of meat, seafood and processed food, according to a joint statement by the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) and the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority on Monday.
On Oct 14, 2022, the SFA raided a container when it was being unloaded in Tampines. The Malaysia-registered container had entered Singapore through the Tuas Checkpoint.
The agency found over 810kg of meat and seafood products, along with about 4kg of processed food that were imported illegally.
The illegal food items were falsely declared as imported fresh vegetables and other food products in the cargo permits. All illegal consignments were seized.
SFA, when contacted, said the director, 52-year-old Singaporean Aseethimang Siriwan, was fined for failing to prevent the offence.
SFA said illegally imported food products of unknown sources can pose a food safety risk. Food can be imported only by licensed importers, and every consignment must be declared and accompanied by a valid import permit. Also, meat and its products can be imported only from accredited and approved sources that comply with our food safety requirements.
Those who import meat and seafood products without a valid import permit can be fined up to $10,000, jailed for up to one year, or both.
Repeat offenders can be fined up to $20,000, jailed for up to two years, or both.
