Wang Liansheng, a traveller from China, was fined $17,500 by the Court today for illegally importing assorted meat products into Singapore.

2          On 8 June 2022, officers from the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) were alerted by the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) on the detection of eight luggage containing assorted meat products at Changi Airport. The luggage, which belonged to Wang, contained approximately 226kg of assorted frozen meat products such as chicken, beef, pork, mutton, and rabbit meat from China. The illegal consignments were seized and destroyed.

Illegal assorted meat detected. (Photo: SFA)

3          In Singapore, food imports must meet SFA’s requirements. Food can only be imported by licensed importers, and every consignment must be declared and accompanied with a valid import permit. Illegally imported food products are of unknown sources and poses food safety risk. 

4          Meat and their products can only be imported from accredited sources in approved countries that comply with our food safety standards and requirements. Offenders who import meat products illegally from unapproved sources are liable to a fine of $50,000 and/or imprisonment of up to two years and, in the case of a subsequent conviction, to a fine not exceeding $100,000 and/or to imprisonment of up to three years.

5         Safeguarding Singapore’s borders remains 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 import across our borders.

IMMIGRATION & CHECKPOINTS AUTHORITY
SINGAPORE FOOD AGENCY
29 SEPTEMBER 2022