SINGAPORE: Two beverage companies were on Wednesday (May 25) charged with exporting Pokka drinks and alcohol to North Korea.
The first company, 123 Duty Free, faces five charges under the Regulation of Imports and Exports Regulations.
It allegedly supplied more than S$341,000 worth of Pokka drinks, including milk coffee, melon milk and strawberry milk, to North Korea from April to August 2018.
Singapore imposed a complete prohibition on commercial trade with North Korea in November 2017.
TODAY previously reported in August 2019 that the Government was investigating the alleged export of Pokka products to North Korea.
In a statement on Aug 5, 2019, Pokka International's then group CEO Rieko Shofu said that media reports about the alleged exports contained "many false and unsubstantiated claims".
"Pokka is committed to ensuring that it complies with all national laws and UN sanctions, including ensuring that it has no dealings with North Korea," said Ms Shofu then.
"We enforce a firm policy not to trade with distributors that export to North Korea directly or indirectly and have robust internal policies in place that would prevent the execution of a trade with a distributor in North Korea."
She also said the company was not aware of any distributor exporting Pokka products to North Korea.
The second company, 123 Holdings, faces five counts under the United Nations Act for allegedly supplying wines and spirits worth more than S$720,000 to North Korea "via China" between November 2016 and July 2017, according to charge sheets.
If convicted, 123 Duty Free could be fined up to S$100,000 or three times the value of the goods, whichever is higher, for a first offence.
For repeat offences, the fine is raised to up to S$200,000 or four times the value of the goods, whichever is higher.
If convicted of supplying designated luxury items to a person in North Korea, 123 Holdings could be fined up to S$1 million.
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The first company, 123 Duty Free, faces five charges under the Regulation of Imports and Exports Regulations.
It allegedly supplied more than S$341,000 worth of Pokka drinks, including milk coffee, melon milk and strawberry milk, to North Korea from April to August 2018.
Singapore imposed a complete prohibition on commercial trade with North Korea in November 2017.
TODAY previously reported in August 2019 that the Government was investigating the alleged export of Pokka products to North Korea.
In a statement on Aug 5, 2019, Pokka International's then group CEO Rieko Shofu said that media reports about the alleged exports contained "many false and unsubstantiated claims".
"Pokka is committed to ensuring that it complies with all national laws and UN sanctions, including ensuring that it has no dealings with North Korea," said Ms Shofu then.
"We enforce a firm policy not to trade with distributors that export to North Korea directly or indirectly and have robust internal policies in place that would prevent the execution of a trade with a distributor in North Korea."
She also said the company was not aware of any distributor exporting Pokka products to North Korea.
The second company, 123 Holdings, faces five counts under the United Nations Act for allegedly supplying wines and spirits worth more than S$720,000 to North Korea "via China" between November 2016 and July 2017, according to charge sheets.
If convicted, 123 Duty Free could be fined up to S$100,000 or three times the value of the goods, whichever is higher, for a first offence.
For repeat offences, the fine is raised to up to S$200,000 or four times the value of the goods, whichever is higher.
If convicted of supplying designated luxury items to a person in North Korea, 123 Holdings could be fined up to S$1 million.
Continue reading...