Singaporean man sentenced to 24 months’ imprisonment for offences under the Customs Act and the Corruption, Drug Trafficking and Other Serious Crimes (Confiscation of Benefits) Act

Singapore, 23 June 2023 – On 22 June 2023, a Singaporean man, Lo Kwang Meng (“Lo”), 45, was sentenced to 24 months’ imprisonment – comprising 17 months’ imprisonment for delivery of duty-unpaid cigarettes; and an additional seven months for assisting another person to retain benefits from criminal conduct.

Facts of the Case

2 On 28 April 2022, Singapore Customs officers mounted an operation at Changi Road where they observed Lo seated in a van. The officers moved in to conduct a check and uncovered 1,329 cartons of duty-unpaid cigarettes within boxes in the van’s cargo compartment. Cash amounting to $42,660, suspected to be criminal proceeds from the sales of duty-unpaid cigarettes, was also uncovered. Lo was arrested and the duty-unpaid cigarettes, cash, as well as the van were seized. The total duty and Goods and Services Tax (GST) evaded amounted to about $116,050 and $9,200 respectively.

3 Investigations revealed that Lo was engaged by an unknown person via a social messaging platform to deliver duty-unpaid cigarettes and collect cash payments from the recipients. At the end of the delivery, he was supposed to pass the criminal proceeds to other unknown individuals or deposit the proceeds into bank accounts provided to him.

4 Singapore Customs subsequently referred Lo’s involvement in the criminal proceeds to the Commercial Affairs Department (CAD) in the Singapore Police Force for further investigation.

5 Investigations by the CAD showed that Lo performed multiple cash deposits, which amounted to a total sum of $77,000, into six individual bank accounts between

4 April 2022 and 19 April 2022. Lo was aware that these funds, which he had assisted to deposit into the six bank accounts, were criminal proceeds derived from the sale of duty-unpaid cigarettes.

Offenders Face Stiff Penalties

6 Buying, selling, conveying, delivering, storing, keeping, possessing or dealing in duty-unpaid goods are serious offences under the Customs Act 1960 and the GST Act 1993. Offenders can be fined up to 40 times the amount of duty and GST evaded and/or jailed for up to six years. Vehicles used in the commission of such offences and proceeds of sales of duty-unpaid cigarettes are also liable to be forfeited.

7 Members of public with information on smuggling activities or evasion of duty or GST can call the Singapore Customs hotline at 1800-2330000 or email [email protected] to report these illegal activities.

8 Under the Corruption, Drug Trafficking and Other Serious Crimes (Confiscation of Benefits) Act 1992, those found guilty of the offence of assisting others to retain benefits from criminal conduct face an imprisonment for a term not exceeding 10 years, a fine up to S$500,000, or both. The Police would like to remind members of
the public not to partake in any form of arrangement with others to facilitate the retention of criminal benefits by the other party under knowledge or reasonable suspicion that the other party has engaged in criminal conduct.

Annex A: Photos of the operation

The Workplace Safety and Health (WSH) Council said in an alert on Friday that the worker who was killed after being pinned by a concrete wall that collapsed on 15 June at a Tanjong Pagar worksite had been walking along a path at the time outside the worksite.

They said that a wall segment on the second storey of the building that was under demolition had collapsed, and the worker was walking along the pedestrian walkway beside the worksite at the time, before he was pinned by the collapsed structure.

He was eventually pronounced dead at the scene after being extricated from the rubble.

SCDF’s previous statement on 15 June

Following an intensive search operation, a worker who was earlier reported missing, was sighted to be pinned under the collapsed reinforced concrete structure around 1800hrs. The worker had no pulse and not breathing.

The SCDF immediately conducted cutting and breaking operations to free the casualty. The operation also required the Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team (DART) personnel to dig their way through the rubble to create space and assess where parts of the body may have been trapped. This was further complicated due to the weight of the concrete slab which was in excess of 50 tonnes (estimated) as well as mangled scaffolding around the body.

The casualty was finally freed after nearly four hours around 2145hrs. He was pronounced dead at the scene by a paramedic.

Earlier in the search operation, CCTV footages from the surrounding buildings were obtained by the Police to assist in the assessment of the situation. A fibre optic scope, life detection equipment and search canines were also deployed to detect for signs of life. The operation involved the coordinated use of heavy machinery from the construction site as well as rescue equipment to cut and lift the reinforced concrete slab.

11 SCDF emergency vehicles and about 70 personnel, including rescuers from the DART were deployed at the scene for this operation.

A 66-year-old Singaporean man identified by the initials MB, was apprehended by the Blitar Immigration Office in Indonesia for living and working illegally in the country for 12 years using a fake Indonesian identity card, teaching at a private university in Tulungagung, East Java, according to Kompas.

The Discovery of Irregularities

While arranging travel documents for an overseas trip, immigration officers conducting an interview with MB noticed irregularities that raised suspicions.

Officer Arief Yudistira from the Blitar Immigration Office revealed during a press conference that further investigation revealed MB’s true nationality.

Upon further questioning, MB eventually confessed to being a Singaporean citizen. The confession prompted the Indonesian authorities to reach out to the Singapore Embassy, which confirmed MB’s citizenship.

MB’s original birth certificate, which was issued by Singaporean authorities, revealed that he was born in Kampong Pachitan, Singapore, in September 1956.

Investigation revealed that MB had entered and exited Indonesia multiple times since 1984. In 1988, he arrived in Indonesia to pursue his studies at Gajayana University in Malang. Eight years later, he completed his Master’s degree in education.

In 2011, MB illicitly obtained Indonesian citizenship documents, including an Indonesian Identity Card (KTP), Family Card (KK), and altered birth certificates. The falsified birth certificate stated that MB was born in Pacitan, East Java, effectively changing his identity to Yatno.

Notably, MB’s new documents indicated a birthdate in February 1973, making him 17 years younger on paper.

Under the guise of his fake Indonesian identity, MB secured a position as an English lecturer at Universitas Bhinneka PGRI (UBHI).

Reports suggest that he had been teaching at the university for over a decade. The university’s headmaster, Imam Sudjono, expressed surprise and shock upon learning about MB’s true nationality.

Students had previously complained about MB’s heavy Malay accent, assuming he hailed from Sumatra or Kalimantan.

The Blitar Immigration Office, led by Arief and his team, is currently investigating the case to determine whether there is sufficient evidence for legal proceedings.

Arief stated that if the evidence is inadequate, deportation will be pursued. MB’s citizenship documents, including his fake identity card, were issued by the Department of Population and Civil Registration in Tulungagung Regency.

It has been reported that MB is married to an Indonesian resident and has children. As of the latest update, MB is slated for deportation, according to a report by Kompas.

Controversial comedian Jocelyn Chia has once again made headlines with the alleged announcement of her upcoming comedy tour in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

The show, titled the ‘Apology Tour,’ is said to feature a collaboration between Chia and American comedian Chrissie Mayr.

The news has sparked a firestorm of criticism from Malaysian netizens and extensive reporting from local news outlets.

However, there are suspicions that the tour might be a hoax intended to generate further controversy.

The ‘Apology Tour’ was apparently revealed to the public through Chrissie Mayr’s Instagram on June 20. Mayr expressed gratitude to Malaysians for their attention and announced the availability of tickets for the show.

According to the event poster, the performance is scheduled for August 26 at a venue called Live House in Kuala Lumpur.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Chrissie Mayr (@chrissiemayrpod)

Jocelyn Chia’s Previous Controversy

Jocelyn Chia gained notoriety among Malaysians in early June when she made jokes about the MH370 tragedy during a comedy routine.

Her comments, which many found insensitive, drew widespread criticism. Chia later clarified her intention was not to make light of the incident, but her remarks had already caused significant outrage.

Chrissie Mayr, relatively lesser-known than Chia, faced her own share of online controversy when she invited Chia as a guest on her podcast.

During the episode, Mayr and Chia made light of the MH370 incident, further aggravating the public’s anger. Mayr’s subsequent tweet, which criticized Malaysia’s sense of humor, only fueled the controversy.

She threw shots at Malaysians and said “I’m sorry that not now person in your dumb 3rd world country has a f-ing sense of humor”.

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A post shared by Chrissie Mayr (@chrissiemayrpod)

Outrage from Malaysian Netizens

Given the recent memory of Chia’s offensive remarks, Malaysian netizens swiftly expressed their outrage at the announcement of the comedy tour in Kuala Lumpur.

Comments on social media ranged from calling the duo “circus apes” to sarcastically expressing anticipation for the show.

Some users demanded that the tour be banned and the comedians be barred from entering Malaysia. The public sentiment was strong, with many Malaysians emphasizing their pride in their country and rejecting any notion of a “cheap” apology.

Amidst the backlash, some have raised suspicions that the entire announcement could be an elaborate prank designed to generate further controversy.

Given the controversial nature of both Chia and Mayr’s previous statements, it is not unreasonable to question the authenticity of the tour announcement.

However, as of now, no official confirmation or denial has been made.

A 35-year-old calefare (a bit-role actor who performs minor roles in the background) Tay Bai Chen, was filming at a Mediacorp campus when he took a photo of an actor inside a toilet and sent it to two Whatsapp group chats, asking the group chat members if they wanted to see the actor’s genitals.

He was sentenced to 2 weeks imprisonment on 23 June after pleading guilty to one count of taking a photo without the consent of a person performing a private act, as well as for spreading the photo.

The Incident

During the filming of a TV show on the Mediacorp campus, Tay Bai Chen, an extra, noticed the victim, whose identity remains protected, using the urinal in the men’s toilet.

Taking advantage of the situation, Tay discreetly captured a photo of the victim from behind using his phone. The invasion of privacy did not end there.

Tay proceeded to share the photo with two WhatsApp group chats, asking the recipients if they wanted to see the actor’s private parts.

According to a report by Mothership, the message was reportedly sent with the message “who want see his kukujiao.”

The victim, upon learning about the incident from an Instagram message, lodged a police report on May 15, 2021.

The actor expressed extreme distress and a sense of violation upon discovering that a photo of him in a private act had been taken and shared online without his consent.

The invasion of his privacy left him traumatized and deeply affected. The victim promptly informed his agency about the incident, which led to the identification of the accused.

During the court proceedings, Tay Bai Chen pleaded guilty to charges of taking a photo of a person doing a private act without consent and disseminating the photo. The court considered a third charge in the sentencing.

Tay’s defence lawyer argued that it was an atypical case that involved poor taste and bad humor rather than obscene perversions or motives. They emphasized that the photo captured only the victim’s side profile and did not expose his private parts.

In the end, the judge sentenced Tay Bai Chen to two weeks’ jail. While acknowledging the defense’s arguments, the judge underscored the importance of considering the distress caused to the victim.

Although the photo did not reveal the victim’s private parts and was of low quality, the judge recognized the harm inflicted on the actor and the need for legal consequences.

In an attempt to take advantage of a seemingly irresistible $2 deal for glutinous rice dumplings, a man named Lin unwittingly fell victim to a sophisticated scam that resulted in the loss of S$6,000 from his bank account, according to Shin Min Daily News.

Tempting $2 deal for cheap bak zhang

On June 12, Lin stumbled upon a Facebook advertisement promoting glutinous rice dumplings priced at an incredibly low S$2 each.

Intrigued by the offer, he promptly contacted the seller through Facebook Messenger, expressing his interest in purchasing 15 dumplings.

After their initial conversation on Facebook, the seller redirected Lin to continue their communication on WhatsApp, claiming it would be more convenient.

Lin complied, believing it to be a harmless request. However, this move allowed the scammer to exploit the perceived credibility of the messaging platform and establish a direct line of communication with Lin outside the public eye.

Upon transitioning to WhatsApp, Lin received a payment link from the seller, urging him to click on it. With a desire to complete his purchase, Lin followed the instructions and ended up downloading an app onto his phone.

Subsequently, he followed the step-by-step guidelines provided by the seller to create an account and set a password. The app even promised Lin a S$10 discount and assured him that payment would be made upon delivery.

As Lin progressed through the app’s setup process, he reached a point where the seller requested his bank account details.

Sensing the inherent risk involved in divulging such sensitive information, Lin expressed his concerns to the seller. However, instead of addressing his fears directly, the scammer managed to convince Lin to provide his home address and contact details, ostensibly to complete the order.

On June 13, Lin made a shocking realization. The number linked to his WhatsApp account had been changed without his knowledge.

This discovery came to light when his colleague attempted to contact him via WhatsApp but received no response.

Lin, suspecting a technical glitch, dialed his colleague’s number but noticed a different number displayed on the screen, albeit with the same WhatsApp profile picture.

Later that day, Lin received distressing news from his bank. Approximately S$6,000 had been transferred out of his account that very morning.

Alarmed and bewildered, Lin contacted his bank to inquire about the suspicious activity. It was during this interaction that he learned of unsuccessful login attempts made on his iBanking account, resulting in its temporary lock.

Lin, understandably confused about the breach of his account’s security, questioned how scammers gained access without his banking details.

Despite his cautious approach to password management, Lin recalled seeing a blue sign on his phone screen after downloading the app.

Unbeknownst to him, this was a telltale sign of a malicious application that can compromise a phone’s security and allow scammers to remotely control the device or access stored information.

Lin eventually managed to remove the suspicious app from his phone, reclaiming the use of his original WhatsApp number.

Following this incident, he promptly lodged a police report and the police also confirmed thas they are investigating the incident at the moment.