On Wednesday, nine Singapore importers were fined $23,000 for illegally importing fresh vegetables. Two of these were even fined an additional $600 each for illegally importing processed food for sale, according to the Singapore Food Agency (SFA).
From March to August, officers from SFA and the former Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority detected 2,848 kg of undeclared and under-declared fresh vegetables. They also found 340 kg of undeclared processed food in the batches of vegetables imported by the nine importers. The illegal batches were seized. The vegetables seized during the inspections include leaf mustard, Chinese celery and spring onion.
SFA said that illegally imported food products come from unknown sources and pose a food safety risk. It added that food imports must meet the agency's requirements and food safety standards. Food can be imported only by licensed importers, and every batch must be declared and accompanied with a valid import permit.
According to straitstimes.com, offenders who illegally import fresh fruits and vegetables can be fined up to $10,000, jailed for up to three years, or both.
