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Straits Times
3 days ago
- Straits Times
Nearly 200 travellers fined for not declaring large cash amounts, evading GST and taxes on tobacco
A traveller was caught for not declaring his GST-payable items, which include collectible toys and a pair of branded shoes. PHOTO: SINGAPORE CUSTOMS Nearly 200 travellers fined for not declaring large cash amounts, evading GST and taxes on tobacco SINGAPORE - Nearly 200 travellers were caught at the land, sea and air checkpoints for not declaring more than $20,000 in cash, not declaring or paying taxes on tobacco and other goods. The authorities nabbed 14 foreign travellers carrying cash exceeding $20,000 or the equivalent in foreign currency into or out of Singapore without making a declaration or declaring inaccurate amounts. Four of them, men aged between 26 and 71, were caught on May 21 bringing cash of various currencies amounting to between $20,700 and $380,139 across Singapore borders. Another traveller, a 55-year-old man, was caught two days later making an inaccurate declaration when moving $399,965 and RM1,621 (S$492) into Singapore. The cash is suspected to be linked to the traveller's unlicensed moneylending activities, said the authorities. The offenders were caught during a week-long operation carried out by government agencies between May 21 and May 27, said the Singapore Police Force, Immigration and Checkpoints Authority, Central Narcotics Bureau, Singapore Customs, National Parks Board, and Health Sciences Authority in a joint statement on May 31. During the week-long operation, the authorities conducted enhanced checks on travellers and vehicles at the checkpoints. PHOTO: SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE Four of the 14 travellers were given warnings, while seven were fined a total of $27,000. Others are still under probe, and one has been charged with possessing property obtained from criminal activities. During the operation, the authorities conducted checks on travellers and vehicles at the checkpoints. More than 19,000 travellers and 1,600 vehicles were identified for checks, and more than 26,000 pieces of luggage and hand-carry bags were scanned or searched, the statement said. During the week-long operation, the authorities conducted enhanced checks on travellers and vehicles at the checkpoints. PHOTO: SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE It is a crime not to report cash or currency of more than $20,000 when crossing Singapore's borders. If found guilty, offenders can be fined up to $50,000, jailed for up to three years, or both. The cash can also be confiscated. 'Smuggling cash across borders is a way by which criminals launder proceeds of crime. Singapore will not tolerate such activities, said the police commercial affairs department director David Chew. During the week-long operation, the authorities conducted enhanced checks on travellers and vehicles at the checkpoints. PHOTO: SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE Other travellers were found with Pop Mart toys and branded shoes, which they failed to declare. The authorities caught 153 travellers for failing to declare and pay taxes on cigarettes or tobacco products, liquor exceeding the duty-free allowance, or goods exceeding goods and services tax import relief allowances, such as souvenirs and gifts. During the week-long operation, the authorities conducted enhanced checks on travellers and vehicles at the checkpoints. PHOTO: SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE The total duty and GST evaded by these travellers amounted to $10,754, and they were fined a collective $35,165. In one case, a traveller was caught carrying 20 packets of duty-unpaid cigarettes. Another had undeclared luxury goods and Popmart toys, while a third had four litres of Chinese liquor in excess of duty-free allowances. A traveller did not declare the four litres of Chinese liquor that was in excess of his duty-free allowance. PHOTO: SINGAPORE CUSTOMS On May 26, five male travellers aged between 26 and 45 were caught possessing e-vaporisers upon entering Singapore. HSA officers seized five e-vaporisers and fined the travellers. Anyone found guilty of the fraudulent evasion of customs or excise duties can face a fine of up to 20 times the amount evaded, or a jail term of up to two years. Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
Yahoo
18-03-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Mercedes takes biggest swing yet at Elon Musk's Tesla as it unveils new CLA with 492-mile range
The new Mercedes CLA compact sedan can drive up to 792 kilometers, recharge nearly half its battery in ten minutes, and comes with all the creature comforts its well-heeled clientele have come to expect. It even has a frunk. Mercedes-Benz took its boldest swing yet at Elon Musk's Tesla in a bid to once more set the benchmark for luxury and innovation in the automotive industry. On Thursday, the German carmaker that invented the modern automobile reinvented its compact sedan, keeping the CLA nameplate and nothing else from the previous two generations of the baby Benz. Instead, engineers started from a clean sheet of paper to develop the most intelligent and energy-efficient car that has ever come out of its Stuttgart headquarters. Available later this year in all major markets, including the U.S., the fully electric version is rated in Europe to drive up to 792 kilometers—making it the longest-range EV on sale in the continent. While its range translates to 492 miles, the more conservative U.S. EPA has not yet rated it. Moreover, it can recharge nearly half of its battery in a matter of minutes—all for a car that is expected to cost somewhere in the vicinity of a Tesla Model 3. 'This CLA marks the start of the greatest series of car launches ever for Mercedes-Benz,' CEO Ola Källenius told guests at the car's premiere in Rome. He aims to bring 'dozens' of new and refreshed models by 2027. The past five years have been challenging for Mercedes, which saw its traditional role as the leader among premium brands torn away by Tesla. However, Musk's polarizing behavior has created an opening amid protests and boycotts to peel away customers looking to make the switch. Mercedes appears to have learned the lessons from its first dedicated effort to build a high-tech EV flagship. Competing in a niche segment of largely chauffeur-driven executive limousines, the EQS failed to connect with a conservative customer base that still prizes Merc's combustion engine S-Class sibling as the pinnacle of luxury. This time however the CLA's more aggressive styling and emphasis on software and digital intelligence fits hand-in-glove with the compact sedan's much younger target audience. That gives the company cause for hope since Mercedes has poured a lot of effort into the CLA and cannot afford another mistake. For one, the CLA uses a new, in-house-designed operating system, which will gradually be rolled out to all future Mercedes models. It adopts Tesla's approach of continually improving all aspects of the car over time through software updates. Most carmakers still struggle with that since various subsystems sourced from suppliers struggle to speak to one another in the same language. This MMA (Mercedes Modular Architecture) includes a new electrical system that is twice as capable as the standard EV. That means in a pinch, owners can add 325 additional kilometers of range in just ten minutes at a highway fast charging station before continuing on their way. For those worried about the durability and resilience of the battery, Mercedes says the car comes with a guarantee its battery will still retain at least 80% of its original charge after eight years or 160,000 km. Finally, alongside niceties like a frunk—a first in a Mercedes EV—and a panoramic glass roof that comes standard, the vehicle features a premium infotainment system powered by a computer chip that can calculate 254 trillion operations per second. It's so potent, it needs liquid cooling like a high-end PC gaming rig. 'The new CLA is the frontrunner and blueprint for the technology we're going to see in every new Mercedes from now on,' Källenius continued. With so much riding on the line, the chairman of the board himself took the unusual step of personally attending the CLA premiere in Rome. Typically, non-executive directors remain in the background in Germany, restricting their roles to oversight and governance. 'I'm convinced that Mercedes-Benz is ushering in a new era of digitalization and e-mobility with the all-new CLA,' raved Mercedes chair Martin Brudermüller in a post on LinkedIn. This story was originally featured on
