A 32-year-old Singaporean woman has been fined S$11,400 after failing to declare jewellery she brought into Singapore, resulting in the fraudulent evasion of about S$946 in Goods and Services Tax (GST).
Nabilah Binte Jaafar Al-Kathiri pleaded guilty to one charge of fraudulent evasion of GST and was fined on Aug. 5. The court also ordered 19 pieces of jewellery and other items linked to the offence to be forfeited.
The jewellery involved was valued at approximately S$10,512. Authorities said the items were brought into Singapore without the required declaration despite GST being payable on them.
Jewellery Found During Checks At Woodlands Checkpoint
The incident occurred on Apr. 5, 2026, when Nabilah arrived in Singapore as a passenger in a Malaysia-registered vehicle through Woodlands Checkpoint.
She allegedly told Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) officers that she had nothing to declare. However, checks on the vehicle subsequently uncovered 23 pieces of jewellery packed into 22 parcels inside a polymer bag in the boot.
The haul comprised 21 pieces of gold jewellery and two pieces made of titanium. All 23 items were seized and the case was referred to Singapore Customs for further investigation.
Investigations subsequently found that Nabilah was living in Malaysia and operating an online jewellery business selling items to customers in Singapore.
Jewellery Was Intended For Online Sales
According to investigations, she sourced gold and titanium jewellery from various shops in Malaysia before transporting the items into Singapore for delivery to customers.
She promoted the jewellery through online platforms including Facebook and Telegram. Of the 23 pieces seized, 19 were intended for commercial sale, with the remaining four meant to be given as personal gifts.
The court also ordered the forfeiture of bags and boxes which were used in connection with the offence.
Under Singapore’s Customs Act 1960 and GST Act 1993, deliberately evading duty or GST is a serious offence. Those convicted of fraudulent evasion can face a fine of up to 20 times the amount of duty or GST evaded, as well as imprisonment of up to 12 months.
Singapore Customs reminded travellers that items subject to duties or GST should be properly declared when entering Singapore.
Travellers can make declarations and pay applicable duties or GST through the Customs@SG web application or at designated checkpoints.
The case also highlights the importance of understanding Singapore’s import regulations, particularly for individuals purchasing goods overseas or running cross-border online businesses.
Authorities said members of the public who have information about suspected smuggling or evasion of duty or GST can report the matter to Singapore Customs.