SINGAPORE: An importer was fined on Wednesday (Nov 4) for illegally importing fresh vegetables for sale.
The illegal consignments brought in by GH Enterprise from Malaysia were seized in January, said the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) in a media release.
AdvertisementAdvertisementIt added that its officers detected 150kg of undeclared fresh vegetables in the consignments.
"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," said SFA.
The agency added that illegally imported vegetables are of unknown sources and can pose a food safety risk, such as if high levels of pesticides are used.
"The long-term ingestion of excessive pesticide residues through the consumption of vegetables that have been subjected to pesticide abuse could lead to adverse health effects," it said.
AdvertisementAdvertisementThose found guilty of illegally importing fresh fruits and vegetables face a fine of up to S$10,000, a jail term of up to three years, or both.
If found guilty of illegally importing processed food, offenders face a fine of up to S$1,000. The fine could double to S$2,000 for repeat offenders.
Last month, local company Yong Yew Hin was fined S$25,000 for illegally importing 2 tonnes of meat, including waxed duck and cured ham. Another local company, CCL Impex, was also fined S$3,600 for illegally importing 900kg of fresh vegetables and processed food.
Let's block ads! (Why?)
More...