SINGAPORE – An importer of Korean food products was fined $30,000 in court on Friday (Oct 8) for operating an unlicensed cold store and illegally importing assorted meat and seafood from South Korea.

The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) said on Friday its officers inspected Koryo Trading’s premises in February 2020 and found approximately 4,600kg of meat and seafood products in an unlicensed cold store.

These included meat dumplings, frozen beef and processed squid.

“Further investigations revealed that the company had illegally imported the meat products from South Korea,” said the SFA.

“Investigations also revealed that Koryo Trading had, on a separate occasion, illegally imported approximately 72kg of puffer fish and puffer fish products from South Korea,” it said, adding that the goods were seized.

Those found guilty of illegally importing meat and seafood products can be fined up to $50,000, jailed for up to two years, or both.

The SFA said that cold stores for meat and seafood products can be operated only with a valid licence and are routinely inspected by the agency. It added that illegal storage of meat and seafood at unlicensed facilities poses a food safety risk.

Offenders who store meat and seafood items at unlicensed premises may be fined up to $10,000, jailed for up to 12 months, or both, if found guilty.

Illegally imported food products come from unknown sources and pose a food safety risk, said the SFA.

“Meat and their products can be imported only from accredited sources in approved countries that comply with our food safety standards and requirements,” said the SFA.

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