SINGAPORE: As the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) said in a social media post on Tuesday (Oct 14), “Gotta catch them all!”
The Facebook post said that on Friday (Oct 10), ICA officers at Changi Airport Terminal 1 had directed a Singaporean man to the baggage screening area and asked him if he had anything to declare. He said no.
When his luggage was thoroughly checked, however, the officers found a large number of assorted Pokémon trading cards with a total worth of more than S$30,000.
His case was then referred to Singapore Customs for further investigation.
“Travellers are reminded to declare and pay duty and GST on items purchased overseas that exceed the duty-free concession and GST relief. If you are unsure, just declare at the Red Channel or at the Singapore Customs Tax Payment office.
“As Guardians of Our Borders, ICA is committed to keeping Singapore’s borders safe and secure while facilitating trade & travel,” ICA said.
Photos provided by ICA on the post show that there had been at least four boxes of Pokémon Center Limited Fukuoka Special.
Why was he caught?
When bringing goods from overseas worth more than S$500 into Singapore, people need to declare those items. The man with the Pokémon trading cards could have also used the Customs@SG app or web portal and made an advance declaration, and then paid GST in advance. He could have then avoided a trip to the Customs Tax Payment Office when he arrived at Changi Airport.
People who bring goods into Singapore should also remember to keep all their receipts or invoices for the prices of these items, as well as additional costs for shipping, insurance, and so on.
How much should he have paid?
Well, this is just our best estimate, so don’t take our word for it. If the taxable amount on the Pokémon trading cards is S$30,000, the man might have got a tax relief of S$500 if he had been abroad for over 48 hours (which he likely was). This would make the taxable amount S$29,500.
As GST is 9 per cent, the charge would have been around S$2,655 if the man had done the right thing and declared the trading cards.
However, under Singapore law, he could be penalised for his “failure to declare or making an incorrect declaration of non-dutiable goods”. This could mean a stiff fine of several times the duty amount, aside from the GST he owed in the first place. /TISG
Read also: Police issue warning after victims lose S$111,000 this month in Pokémon card scams — Classic editor
