A new circular has been issued by Singapore Customs advising traders and declaring agents that it conducts selective customs supervision of unstuffing of import containers and transshipment containers going to unmanned places.
Circular No. 13/2015, dated September 28, 2015, said the selective customs supervision is “to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements, such as to check that all goods conveyed in the containers have been accurately declared to Customs.”
A container that has been selected for customs supervision of unstuffing will be sealed with a customs red seal and affixed with a warning tag after being cleared at the checkpoint. A “Notice to Haulier” will be issued to the prime mover driver to inform the trader of the customs supervision requirement.
“Traders are reminded not to break the customs red seal and/or unstuff the container without prior approval from Singapore Customs,” said the circular signed by Fauziah Abdul Sani, head of the Company Compliance Branch, Singapore Customs.
Fauziah further advises traders to apply for customs supervision of unstuffing within one working day of clearance of the container from the checkpoint. The application is to be submitted via e-filing at www.customs.gov.sg. The intended date of unstuffing operation should be at least one working day from the date of e-filing. The actual time slot allocated for the customs supervision operation depends on the availability of the staff, said the circular.
Customs supervision of unstuffing is held between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. on Mondays to Fridays and 8 a.m. to 12.30 p.m. on Saturdays. No customs supervision is conducted on Sundays and public holidays. A fee will be levied for customs supervision.
If the customs red seal is opened without permission, it will be regarded as an offense, and the perpetrator faces a fine not exceeding SGD5,000 if convicted. On second or subsequent conviction, a fine not exceeding SGD8,000 will be imposed.
Photo: Chensiyuan
