A SWISS national was fined $3,000 by a court on Monday for failing to declare 58 gold coins valued at nearly $21,000.
The Goods and Services Tax (GST) involved amounted to about $1,460, said Singapore Customs in a statement on Tuesday.
Theveraja Thambirajah, 46, was arrested at the arrival hall of Changi Airport Terminal 1 on March 2 at about 9.30 pm, after flying in from Switzerland.
When asked if he had anything to declare by Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) officers at the baggage clearance area, he said no.
But officers found the 58 gold coins in a purse when they screened and checked his luggage. Theveraja admitted they belonged to him and he was arrested.
Investigations revealed that Theveraja had no intention to declare and pay the GST on the gold coins which he had brought from Switzerland.
Singapore Customs remind travellers to declare goods beyond the GST relief amount at the Red Channel as required under Singapore's customs regulations. Anyone who failed to do do can be fined up to $10,000 or jailed up to a year, or both, if found guilty.
