Those who illegally import meat products from unapproved sources without a valid permit may face penalties
Singapore-based Lim Guozhi Benjamin, who is the sole proprietor of Polymath Wholesales Trading, has been fined $8,000 by the Court for illegally importing meat products from Thailand. In May 2023, officers from the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) checked a refrigerated container vehicle along Mandai Link Road and found about 6.3 tonnes of meat products, including chicken, duck, and mutton products, imported by Polymath Wholesales Trading without a valid import permit. The SFA seized the products.
In Singapore, food imports must comply with SFA’s requirements. Illegally imported food products from unknown sources can pose a food safety risk. Licensed importers are the only ones allowed to import food, and every consignment must be declared and accompanied by a valid import permit. Furthermore, meat and its products can only be imported from accredited sources in approved countries that comply with our food safety standards and requirements.
Those who illegally import meat products from unapproved sources without a valid permit may face penalties. On conviction, offenders may be liable to a fine not exceeding $10,000, imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months, or both. In the case of a second or subsequent conviction, the penalty may increase to a fine not exceeding $20,000, imprisonment for a term not exceeding 2 years, or both.
