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Travel Agency Suspended, Medium Jailed for Assault, NUS Prof Sacked & Cigarette Smuggling

 



On December 31 2025, the Singapore Tourism Board issued an immediate suspension to Sunshine Tours and Travel. The travel agency failed to provide its audited statement of accounts and annual business profile returns within the required six-month period following the end of its financial year. These documents are essential for the board to monitor industry health and licensee performance. The suspension began on the final day of the year and will last until the documents are submitted or for a maximum of six months. During this time, the company is prohibited from accepting new travel bookings, though it remains legally obligated to fulfill its existing commitments to current customers.

In a significant criminal case, 63-year-old Tan Beng Kwee was sentenced to nine years and four months in prison on December 31 2025. Tan, who served as a spiritual medium at a home temple in Ang Mo Kio, was found guilty of sexual penetration of a minor, attempted sexual penetration, and procuring an indecent act. The offences occurred between 2013 and 2015 when the victim was between 14 and 15 years old. Tan had lured the victim into private wushu lessons, where he isolated her and eventually committed the assaults. The prosecution detailed how Tan used his position as a medium to threaten the girl with supernatural punishment against her family to ensure her silence. Principal District Judge Toh Han Li highlighted a grave abuse of trust, noting that the victim suffered from major depressive disorder and panic disorder as a result of the trauma.

Meanwhile, at the National University of Singapore, Professor Shawn Chen Xiaoyuan from the Department of Biomedical Engineering was dismissed. The university confirmed that a disciplinary panel found Chen guilty of sexual misconduct following a complaint from a research assistant who was also a part-time student. While the internal investigation began on June 30 2025 and ended on December 19 2025, Chen has publicly denied the allegations. He stated that he intends to file an appeal to overturn the university’s decision to terminate his contract. This incident coincides with the university’s broader report stating that nine complaints of sexual misconduct involving students were recorded in the first half of 2025.

Border security measures also saw success as the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority prevented the illegal entry of contraband. On December 12 2025, officers at Tuas Checkpoint conducted enhanced inspections on two Malaysia-registered trucks after radiographic images showed anomalies. In the first vehicle, officers discovered over 2,000 cartons of duty-unpaid cigarettes hidden inside a cargo shipment declared as tool box and drawer storage. In the second vehicle, an additional 1,500 cartons were found concealed within a consignment of furniture. Three Malaysian men, with ages ranging from 27 to 33, were arrested in connection with the smuggling attempts. The suspects and the seized items were handed over to Singapore Customs for further legal proceedings and investigations.


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