Manager fined $52,000 for faking documents over dutiable items
A Singaporean woman was fined $52,000 on Jan 8 for furnishing false documents and storing dutiable goods illegally, among other charges.
Jean Heng, 50, manager of Tania Asia Logistics and Free Trade Zone Logistics and Transportation, pleaded guilty to 12 charges, while another 41 charges were taken into consideration, Singapore Customs said in a statement yesterday.
If she does not pay the fine, she must spend 104 days in jail.
Heng had made false declarations to Singapore Customs on multiple occasions between 2013 and 2015.
On June 9, 2016, Singapore Customs officers checked a warehouse at the Airport Logistics Park.
Officers found 42 pallets of dutiable liquors and cigarettes, belonging to Tania Asia Logistics, that were supposed to be exported.
Investigations revealed that in 2015, Heng had made incorrect declarations to Singapore Customs twice and instructed staff from Free Trade Zone Logistics and Transportation to make incorrect declarations on two other occasions to declare that her goods had already been exported when they were actually in the warehouse.
She had breached the permit condition on five occasions as it is a requirement to store dutiable goods that are not exported on the same day at an approved place.
The warehouse was not approved by Customs for storing dutiable items.
A total of 16,435 cartons and 11 packets of cigarettes and 22,094 bottles of liquor were seized from the warehouse and forfeited by the State Courts.
FINED
Under the Customs Act, anyone who makes any untrue declaration can be fined a maximum of $10,000, or the equivalent of the customs duty, excise duty or tax payable, or can also be jailed for up to a year or both.
Anyone with information on smuggling activities or evasion of Customs duty or goods and services tax can call the Singapore Customs hotline on 1800-233-0000.
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