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Four Men Sentenced for Illegal Liquor Distribution

 


On Dec 17, 2024, the Singapore State Courts sentenced Ng Shi Xiang, 38, to a fine of $712,163.76 for conspiring to evade duty and GST by illegally diverting duty-suspended liquor for local sale. This scheme, masterminded by 43-year-old Chua Tong Ling Melvyn, involved falsely declaring the liquor as "sea stores" meant for export.

The operation came to light on April 2, 2020, when Singapore Customs officers observed suspicious activity. A lorry carrying duty-suspended liquor left a licensed warehouse but diverted from its intended route to Penjuru Terminal. Four pallets of liquor were seized nearby, triggering an investigation.

The investigation revealed that Chua enlisted Ng to locate companies to act as fake exporters. Ng introduced Poh Chee Chean, the director of Universeroc Pte Ltd, who allowed his company to be used in exchange for $5 per carton of liquor declared. Poh provided pre-signed checks and login credentials to facilitate the scheme.

To legitimize the fake exports, Chua instructed Tay Liang Hwee to create false trade documents and email correspondences. Between November 2019 and April 2020, 459 cartons of duty-suspended liquor (3,898.2 liters) were diverted for local sale, evading $151,440 in duty and GST.

Sentences for the co-conspirators include:

  • Ng Shi Xiang: Fined $712,163.76 for two charges.
  • Chua Tong Ling Melvyn: Fined $864,770.28 on July 3, 2023.
  • Tay Liang Hwee: Fined $763,032.60 on July 3, 2023.
  • Poh Chee Chean: Fined $300,351.45 on October 6, 2021.

Under Singapore law, offenders can face fines of up to 20 times the evaded duty and GST and/or imprisonment for up to two years.



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Location: Singapore

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