Singapore wholesaler fined $3,000 for illegal meat imports from China

Its sales manager Zhang Lu was also fined SGD4,000 for failing to prevent the offense from being committed, according to a joint press release on Thursday by Singapore Food Agency and Immigration & Checkpoints Authority.

The crime was discovered early January when immigration authorities detected anomalies after conducting radiographic scan of a 40-foot container.

They found an illegal consignment of meat product including Chinese ham, waxed duck leg, and processed duck kidney.

Illegally imported food products of unknown sources can pose a food safety risk, the the food agency said, adding that food can only be imported by licensed importers.

Singapore fines up to SGD10,000 and will even consider jail term of up to 12 months for each first-time food import violation.