Abstract
Han Xiaoyang was fined S$560,000 after pleading responsible to seven prices involving customs responsibility evasion on 28,236 bottles of beer.
The 47-year-old Chinese language nationwide didn’t pay the high-quality and can as an alternative serve 164 days in jail.
Singapore Customs seized 35,060 bottles of duty-unpaid beer throughout an operation and follow-up searches in November 2025.
SINGAPORE: A 47-year-old Chinese language nationwide has been fined S$560,000 for serving to convey duty-unpaid beer into Singapore via false declarations.
Han Xiaoyang (Han) pleaded responsible on Sep 4, 2026, to seven prices of fraudulent evasion of responsibility. The fees concerned about S$60,127 in responsibility evaded on 28,236 bottles of beer.
Han didn’t pay the high-quality, so he’ll serve 164 days in jail as an alternative. The courtroom additionally thought of 15 different prices involving responsibility and GST evasion throughout sentencing; Singapore Customs reported the case on the identical day.
Beer was declared as different items to keep away from duties
Investigations discovered that Han deliberate the scheme in August 2025. He needed to import beer from China, retailer it in Singapore and promote it for revenue.
He instructed Tong Baobao, a 29-year-old Chinese language nationwide, to work with a freight forwarder in China. The beer was falsely declared as non-dutiable items, together with meals objects and industrial equipment.
The shipments have been then despatched to Wan Changya Worldwide Pte Ltd, a Singapore-incorporated firm used within the scheme.
Tong was the corporate’s common supervisor and adopted Han’s directions. He organized for the beer to be saved earlier than deliveries to clients in Singapore have been made.
Customs officers discovered greater than 35,000 bottles
The scheme got here to mild throughout a Customs operation on Nov 19, 2025.
Officers noticed two employees shifting a liquor consignment right into a unit in an industrial constructing alongside Tagore Lane. They inspected it and located 4,044 bottles of duty-unpaid beer.
The employees recognized Tong because the particular person in cost. He was later arrested when he arrived on the constructing.
Comply with-up searches uncovered one other 31,016 bottles. That introduced the entire seized to 35,060 bottles.
The confederate was fined S$322,000 over S$39,517 in evaded customs responsibility
Tong was sentenced on Could 4, 2026, for his position within the scheme. He pleaded responsible to a few prices involving about S$39,517 in evaded responsibility.
Tong was fined S$322,000 however didn’t pay the high-quality. He as an alternative served 80 days in jail.
Seven different prices have been additionally considered throughout his sentencing. These concerned additional responsibility and GST evasion.
Singapore legislation treats the dealing with of duty-unpaid liquor as a severe offence. Convicted offenders can face fines of as much as 20 instances the responsibility and GST evaded, together with as much as 12 months’ jail.
The case demonstrates why makes an attempt to chop import prices via false declarations can grow to be very costly. A lawful import could value extra upfront, however making an attempt to keep away from the principles can convey a far heavier invoice.
Learn extra: Chinese language nationwide lady, 57, will get 6 months’ jail + S$2.5K high-quality for overstaying in Singapore for greater than 22 years
