Woman, 41, fined and sentenced to 4 weeks' jail for illegally importing food, accusing SFA officer of molestation

SINGAPORE — After she was caught illegally importing salted duck eggs and meat products, a 41-year-old woman threatened to accuse a government officer of molestation if he did not comply with her demands.

According to a joint press release from the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA), Singapore Food Agency (SFA) and the police on Monday (Sept 12), the woman, named Wang Shu, was fined S$5,000 for the illegal import of meat products and salted duck eggs, as well as advertising the sale of illegally imported meat products online. 

ICA officers at the Pasir Panjang Scanning Station, Ports Command, detected anomalies in the scanned images of a 40-footer container from China on July 28, 2020. 

The container was unstuffed at the importer’s premises the following day. 

After conducting checks, ICA officers found five pallets of undeclared food products without a valid import permit.

The case was then referred to SFA for investigation. 

During the investigation, SFA found 36kg of illegally imported food products, including meat products such as sausages, as well as salted duck eggs.

They were later seized by the food agency. 

Wang was also found to have advertised the meat products on her Facebook account for sale.

On Oct 29, 2020, the police received a report from an SFA officer that Wang had confined him in a room at her office and threatened to accuse him of molestation if he did not do as she said. 

According to the police, the woman was uncooperative when the SFA officer and his two colleagues were recording her statement regarding the illegal import of meat products. 

When the officer was about to leave the room, the woman stood in front of the room’s door to prevent him from leaving.

She threatened to accuse him of molestation if he did not hand over the recorded statement.

When he did not heed her demand, she shouted "molest" once. 

She was sentenced to four weeks in prison for threatening a public servant. 

SFA, ICA and the police said: "The method of concealment involved in this case is a cause for concern as similar methods may be used by people with ill intent to smuggle security items into Singapore."

They added that illegally imported food products are of unknown sources and pose a food safety risk.

"In Singapore, food imports must meet SFA’s requirements. Food can only be imported by licensed importers, and every consignment must be declared and accompanied with a valid import permit," they said. 

Meat and its products can only be imported from accredited sources in approved countries that comply with Singapore's food safety requirements. 

Those who import meat products illegally from unapproved sources are liable to a fine of S$50,000 or imprisonment of up to two years, or both.

The offence of threat of injury to a public servant under Section 189 of the Penal Code carries an imprisonment term which may extend to two years, or a fine, or both.