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SINGAPORE – Four men were arrested between Oct 16 and 23 for possessing, storing, and selling duty-unpaid liquor to buyers they solicited via the WeChat mobile app.
The Singapore Customs said on Wednesday (Oct. 31) that the men, who were all Chinese nationals, were arrested in a series of operations that took place in various parts of Singapore.
The first operation took place on Oct 16. Guo Xu, 39, was arrested in Woodlands Avenue 4 after Singapore Customs officers found seven bottles of duty-unpaid liquor on the passenger seat of the cement truck was driving.
Guo had been on the way to deliver the duty-unpaid liquor to a customer.
The tax and service tax (GST) evaded by Guo amounted to about $ 695 and $ 68 respectively. He was fined $ 7,500 by the State Courts on Oct 18.
A day after Guo's sentencing, Singapore Customs Officers found six bottles of duty-unpaid liquor in the haversack and plastic bag of a man they arrested at the void deck of a Housing Board block in Woodlands Avenue 6.
A follow-up search for a hair salon in Geylang Road Uncovered another 45 bottles of duty-unpaid liquor stored in a cupboard. Investigations revealed that the man had arranged to meet a buyer when he was arrested. Court proceedings are ongoing for the man.
In another case, Zhu Fuzeng was arrested by Singapore Customs officers on Oct 23 morning at an HDB flat in St George's Road after they found 30 bottles of duty unpaid liquor in his room.
The 28-year-old had intended to sell the duty-unpaid liquor to buyers via WeChat. He evaded a total of $ 3,744 in duty and $ 350 in GST, and was sentenced to $ 40,000. Failure to pay the fine would result in a 100-day jail sentence.
The fourth case took place on Oct 23 evening. Officers who conducted a check on the deck of an HDB block in Hougang Avenue 3 found 12 bottles of duty-unpaid liquor in a box he was carrying.
In bottles of duty-unpaid liquor. Finally, another bottle of duty-unpaid liquor was found in the man's dormitory in Hougang Avenue 7.
Court proceedings against the man are ongoing.
Mr Teh Thiam Siong, head of intelligence at the Singapore Customs, said that the agency is keeping a close watch on buying and selling of duty-unpaid liquor via social media platforms.
"Those who are thinking of engaging in such illegal activities should think twice when they are severely punished when caught," he said.
Under the Customs Act, any person who is guilty of storing, keeping, possessing and dealing with dutiable goods with the intention to defraud the Government of any duty and GST, will be fined up to 20 times the amount of duty and GST evaded.
GST can call the Singapore Customs hotline on 1800-233-0000, e-mail [email protected] or use the Customs @ SG mobile app to report these illegal activities.
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