On Wednesday November 4th, Singapore company GH Enterprise Pte Ltd was fined $6,000 for illegally importing fresh vegetables. The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) said in a statement that its officers detected 150 kgs of undeclared fresh vegetables in consignments imported from Malaysia by the importer in January of this year. All the illegal consignments were seized at that time.

"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 an SFA spokesperson.

Illegally imported vegetables are of unknown sources and can pose a food safety risk. Offenders who import fresh fruits and vegetables illegally can be liable to a maximum fine of $10,000 and/or imprisonment for a term not exceeding three years.