$28k in fines for two food importers over illegal import and sale of seafood and vegetables

SINGAPORE – Two food importers were fined a total of $28,000 on Wednesday for illegally importing and selling seafood and vegetables.

One firm, Ger Trading, and its director Lau Owen Yun Leung were fined $8,000 each under the Wholesome Meat and Fish Act, said the Singapore Food Agency (SFA).

In September 2021, the company imported 1,050kg of live oysters from Canada. It sold 364kg of the consignment before SFA was able to inspect, examine and certify the items.

The court deemed that Lau failed to exercise due diligence in preventing the offence from being committed.

In its statement, the SFA said: “Upon the import of meat and fish products, importers must arrange for these products to be inspected, examined and certified by SFA before they are sold, distributed or exported.

“Meat and fish products found unfit for human consumption will be seized and disposed of.”

The second case involved fresh produce importer SM Fresh and its director Chua Boon Lai, who in June 2020 imported 375kg of undeclared and under-declared vegetables in consignments from Malaysia.

The consignments were seized.

The company was fined $6,000 for illegally importing fresh vegetables for sale while Chua was handed the same fine for failing to prevent the offence from being committed.

The SFA said those found guilty of illegally importing fresh fruit and vegetables may be fined up to $10,000, jailed up to three years, or both.

It added that those found guilty of failing to arrange for meat and fish products to be inspected, examined and certified by an authorised examiner before sale or distribution can be fined up to $10,000, jailed for 12 months, or both.