Cablegate: Firm Fined for Attempted Transhipment Of

VZCZCXYZ0002
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHGP #1760 2641006
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 211006Z SEP 07
FM AMEMBASSY SINGAPORE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4058
INFO RUEHSW/AMEMBASSY BERN 0218

UNCLAS SINGAPORE 001760

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ETTC MNUC PARM PGOV PREL KNNP MTCRE SZ SN
SUBJECT: FIRM FINED FOR ATTEMPTED TRANSHIPMENT OF
CONTROLLED GOODS

REF: 06 SINGAPORE 2854

1. (SBU) A Singapore court fined local freight forwarder
World Freight S$22,000 (US$14,600) on September 17 for
attempting to transship controlled items to Iran, according
to press reports. This is the first legal action Singapore
has taken since it announced in September 2006 plans to
expand its Strategic Goods Control List starting in January
2008, though the items in question are covered under the
existing control list (reftel). A Singapore Customs
representative told us that they had intercepted the
Swiss-origin "electronic connectors" in August 2006, but that
its investigation had delayed the start of the court case for
nearly a year.

2. (SBU) Post's Immigration and Customs Enforcement office
(ICE) said that it, working with the ICE office in Bern, had
aided the GOS in building its case against World Freight.
The court's fine is considerably lower than the maximum
penalty of S$100,000 (US$66,500), or three times the value of
the items. The Singapore Customs representative said he
understands that the judge had a considerable amount of
discretion in assessing the fine, but he would not speculate
why the judge did not impose a heavier punishment.

Visit Embassy Singapore's Classified website:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eap/singapore/ind ex.cfm
HERBOLD

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