Two handbag retailers fined after underpaying GST from imports
SINGAPORE — Two handbag retailers who under-declared the value of their imported goods in order to pay less Goods and Services Tax (GST) were fined by the State Courts yesterday.
Adrian Tang Wai Chuen, 42, underpaid about S$56,000 in GST for the 3,390 handbags he imported from the United States, Italy and Malaysia from January 2013 to June last year. The owner of MBE Trading & Services was fined S$95,000 for 10 charges he pleaded guilty to. Another 70 charges were taken into consideration for sentencing.
Ong Siew Hong, 60, was fined S$42,000 after she submitted fake invoices to Singapore Customs between May 2013 and November last year, to pay about S$7,400 less in GST. In that period, the director of Be Bonita Fashion and Apparels imported more than 2,000 branded handbags and 1,500 pieces of accessories, such as wristlets, phone cases, children’s toys and travel adapters. Ong pleaded guilty to four charges, with nine other charges taken into consideration in the sentencing.
Under the Customs Act, anyone found guilty of fraudulent evasion of duties or GST faces a fine of up to 20 times the amount of duty and GST evaded, and/or imprisonment. In addition, offenders are required to make good the duty and GST underpaid.
In a media release yesterday, Singapore Customs’ Assistant Director-General (Intelligence & Investigation) Yeo Sew Meng said evasion and under-declaration of GST are serious offences. “All cases of revenue evasion and violations of Customs regulations are investigated. Anyone found involved in abetting the fraudulent evasion of duty and GST will be dealt with severely,” he added. JORDON SIMPSON
