Importer fined $72,400 for evading GST on mobile phone spare parts
A Singaporean importer was fined $72,400 yesterday by the State Courts for evading Goods and Services Tax (GST) on multiple consignments of mobile phone spare parts.
Jimmy Ong, 30, was a partner of a mobile phone repair company, Quality Comm LLP.
In June last year, an inspection by the Singapore Customs found two boxes containing 542 pieces of mobile phone spare parts consigned to Ong at the Changi Airfreight Centre.
It was discovered that the invoice for the parts was falsified, stating the value of the goods to be less than $400 when the actual value was found to be $7,810.
According to regulations, GST is payable on goods valued above $400 and imported by post or air.
The Singapore Customs said in a statement yesterday: "Investigations revealed that Ong had purchased mobile phone spare parts from his suppliers in China and imported them into Singapore on 48 occasions between 2015 and 2018."
The values of all the consignments were under-declared and the resulting amount of GST evaded was $14,040.
Ong pleaded guilty to 16 charges of fraudulent evasion of GST while another 32 charges were taken into consideration in the sentencing.
FINE OF UP TO 20 TIMES
If found guilty of fraudulent evasion of GST on the importation of goods, offenders can be fined up to 20 times the amount of tax evaded or jailed up to six years or both.
Anyone with information on smuggling activities or evasion of Customs duty or GST can call the Singapore Customs hot line on 1800-233-000.
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