Over $7 million in fines meted out for tax evasion at Singapore checkpoints from Jan to Oct 2025

SINGAPORE – A woman arriving from Malaysia on Oct 18 attempted to exit the arrival hall at Changi Airport via the green channel without declaring a pewter Bearbrick collectible figurine that was in her possession – and was fined $565 for it.

She was one of more than 23,000 travellers who were caught and fined a total of $7,114,850 from January to October 2025, said the Singapore Customs in a media release on Dec 1.

These travellers were caught across air, land and sea checkpoints and fined for not declaring dutiable and taxable goods brought into Singapore.

The amount meted out in the first 10 months of 2025 was more than double the $3,471,043 imposed over the same period in 2024. In the same period in 2023, $2,303,380 was imposed.

The total number of travellers caught from January to October 2025 was 23,742, up from 13,099 in 2024 and 7,139 in 2023 over the same period. Singapore Customs, which works with the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority to conduct checks and deter violations, said 142 offenders in 2025 received the maximum penalty of $5,000 for making incorrect or incomplete declarations. This was more than three times the 46 cases in 2024 and 51 in 2023.

One of the offenders who received the maximum $5,000 fine was a woman arriving from Bangkok on Oct 17 who was caught with undeclared new luxury items including a bag, a wallet and three pieces of jewellery.

Evading GST a ‘serious offence’

A Singapore Customs spokesperson said evading payment of duties or goods and services tax at checkpoints is a serious offence and the agency will take firm action against all offenders.

Common violations involved commercial goods such as machinery parts and renovation materials, apparel and accessories including bags and mobile phones, consumer goods such as health and skincare products, and cigarettes and alcohol.

Offenders who were found trying to bring in items intended for commercial purposes included a man who was stopped at the Singapore Cruise Centre on July 31 with 544 pieces of assorted fishing lures and was fined $1,130, and a man who was caught at Woodlands Checkpoint on Oct 23 with several rolls of furniture laminate, and was fined $250.

In another case, a man at Woodlands Checkpoint on Oct 9 failed to declare 11 bundles of T-shirts he was delivering to companies in Singapore and was fined $2,990.

All goods brought into Singapore remain subject to GST, and those who attempt to fraudulently evade duty face fines of up to 20 times the amount evaded or jail of up to two years, said Singapore Customs.

The agency reminded travellers that they must truthfully declare and pay applicable duties or GST for items that exceed their import reliefs and duty-free allowance.

Travellers can make advance declarations through the Customs@SG web application or use the Customs Declaration Kiosks on site.