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Man jailed for unlicensed import of beef patties

SINGAPORE — Hoping to turn a quick profit over the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, a 48-year-old man decided to import cakes, pastries and patties for Ramly burgers from across the Causeway.

Mohamed Dawood R M Abdul Sukkur arriving at the State Courts on Monday (Aug 22) to face charges. Photo: Koh Mui Fong

Mohamed Dawood R M Abdul Sukkur arriving at the State Courts on Monday (Aug 22) to face charges. Photo: Koh Mui Fong

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SINGAPORE — Hoping to turn a quick profit over the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, a 48-year-old man decided to import cakes, pastries and patties for Ramly burgers from across the Causeway.

But when he was stopped at Tuas Checkpoint for an inspection, Mohamed Dawood R M Abdul Sukkur knew his game was up since he did not have a licence to bring in the beef patties.

He decided to gun the engine and flee the checks, only for his car to break down along the Pan-Island Expressway, where he dumped the patties in an open drain in a bid to get rid of the evidence against him.

On Monday (Aug 22), Dawood pleaded guilty to importing a meat product without a licence, perverting the course of justice by disposing of the beef patties, obstructing a Customs officer in the line of duty, and speeding. He consented to another four charges being taken into consideration during sentencing.

District Judge Lee Poh Choo sentenced him to nine months’ jail and an S$8,000 fine. He was also banned from driving all vehicles for three years, following his release from prison.

According to court documents, Dawood, who runs a car grooming and a food distribution company, had driven into Malaysia in a rented BMW around 7am on June 23 last year.

His plan was to get traditional cakes and pastries for reselling to shops here, and beef patties to night market hawkers. He hid 105 packets of beef patties — weighing 37.8kg — under a spare tyre in the car boot.

About four hours later, he headed to Tuas Checkpoint to return to Singapore. After clearing immigration, he drove to a clearance area to declare his goods. An officer found that there were discrepancies on the permit submitted by Dawood, and he was told to drive to an inspection pit for further checks.

Realising that he would be exposed for the illegally imported beef patties, Dawood decided to make a run for it when he saw that the vehicle barrier was raised.

He hurtled off but the car broke down shortly after near Nanyang Technological University because of his over-revving of the engine.

When the police caught up with him, they found boxes of cakes and pastries on the grass patch beside the car. Dawood later led them to a drain near the expressway, where he had dumped the beef patties.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Mansoor Amir argued that Dawood’s actions cannot be tolerated as Singapore’s borders are the first line of defence against external threats.

By importing beef illegally, Dawood had risked bringing in diseases, he added.

Defence lawyer Noor Mohamed Marican argued that his client had suffered a “momentary lapse of judgment” in panicking and driving away.

Dawood told the court that he was confused at the Tuas Checkpoint. “Normally, if they want to check me, they will hold my passport ... at that time, I cannot think because the passport was with me. I was really lost and panicked.”

The lawyer added that the items were meant to help Dawood “make a small profit to help sustain his family”, which included 10 children.

In her sentencing remarks, DJ Lee said: “Entrepreneurship is encouraged but this is certainly not the way to go about it. From start to end, you contravened the law. The manner (in which) you kept the (patties) — hiding them in the spare tyre — would have caused health problems.”

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