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Man who evaded taxes on over 1,800 imported vehicles gets jail in default of S$6 million fine

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Windwaver

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https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/import-cars-jail-tax-gst-duty-evasion-fined-4064701

Low Han Siang, the sole proprietor of car importer M’ Exclusive, will serve 69 months' jail in total.

SINGAPORE: A man was fined S$6 million (US$4.4 million) last Friday (Jan 19) for evading duty and Goods and Services Tax (GST) on 1,828 motor cars imported into Singapore.

As he failed to pay the fine, Low Han Siang, the sole proprietor of car importer M’ Exclusive, will serve a jail term of 60 months in default. He was also sentenced to an additional nine months' jail for underpaying the Additional Registration Fee (ARF) during the registration of the vehicles.

The ARF is a tax imposed when a vehicle is registered, calculated based on a percentage of the Open Market Value of the vehicle. 

Low, 46, had pleaded guilty to two charges under the Customs Act for evading over S$1.8 million in taxes and duties incurred from importing 1,141 motor vehicles, including brands like Mercedes, Porsche and Tesla, into Singapore between 2017 and 2021. 

The Singaporean also pleaded guilty to two amalgamated charges of giving incorrect information under the Road Traffic Act.

Another two charges of fradulent evasion of GST, six charges of fradulent evasion of duty and GST, five charges of causing an incorrect declaration to be made and four amalgamated charges for giving incorrect information were taken into considering during sentencing. 

HOW LOW WAS CAUGHT

An investigation into M’Exclusive was launched after the car importer was suspected of under-declaring the values of motor vehicles for assessment of duty and GST payable, Singapore Customs said in a press release on Monday.

Investigations found that from April 2017 to June 2021, Low created false invoices or asked his suppliers to issue multiple invoices with partial values to conceal the actual values of the imported cars.

These invoices were then submitted to Singapore Customs for assessment of duty and GST payable.

The suppression of the values of the 1,828 motor cars imported into Singapore between April 2017 and June 2021 resulted in the short payment of duty and GST amounting to about S$3,263,280.

It was also discovered that Low had instructed his employee, Lee Pak How, to falsify invoices with suppressed values determined by Low. 

Lee, a 33-year-old Singapore permanent resident, was fined S$10,000 on Jan 13 after pleading guilty to one charge of falsification of documents.

DECLARED VALUES OF IMPORTED MOTOR CARS

Singapore Customs said it “closely monitors" the declared values of motor cars imported into Singapore and "will not hesitate to take enforcement actions on errant traders”. 

The agency added it maintains a "robust commitment" to combat fraudulent evasion of duty and GST, and will take the necessary actions against individuals and entities engaging in such illicit activities.

Singapore Customs noted that in January, five individuals involving three separate cases were charged for fraudulent evasion of duty and GST by suppressing the declared values of imported motor cars, making incorrect declaration or causing incorrect declaration to be made on the values of motor vehicles, and falsification of documents.

Court proceedings are ongoing for these cases. 

“Any person who is concerned in fraudulent evasion of any duty or GST on imported goods shall be liable on conviction to a fine of up to 20 times the amount of duty and GST evaded and/or jailed for up to two years,” Singapore Customs said. 

Any person who is concerned in fraudulent evasion of any duty or GST on imported goods can face a maximum fine of up to 20 times the amount of duty and GST evaded and jailed for up to two years.

Any person who gives incorrect information in relation to any matter affecting the amount of tax chargeable shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding S$10,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months.

"The court shall also order the offender to pay up the ARF which has been undercharged to the LTA," Singapore Customs said. 

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Ct3833

Ct3833

Supersonic
  On 1/22/2024 at 7:43 AM, Volvobrick said:

https://www.sgcarmart.com/used_cars/info.php?ID=1185541&DL=2121&utm_content=SLeligible

22k OMV ai mai?

 

 

Expand  

This one diff scenario, import used car will have lower OMV. This car original registered date is 2020 , meaning this car has a parf lifespan of  7 years only. Again, since the omv is so low, when come to 7 years, just let it lapse by forgoing the PARF, the owner can continue driving it till its coe is due for renewal. 

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inlinesix

inlinesix

Hypersonic
  On 1/22/2024 at 7:58 AM, Ct3833 said:

This one diff scenario, import used car will have lower OMV. This car original registered date is 2020 , meaning this car has a parf lifespan of  7 years only. Again, since the omv is so low, when come to 7 years, just let it lapse by forgoing the PARF, the owner can continue driving it till its coe is due for renewal. 

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Too low la.

E53 should be around GBP60k

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Inlinefour

Inlinefour

Twincharged

Actually common sense leh

 

How can PI sell same price as AD 

 

consperm bareback one mah

 

then put back after reach showroom 🙊🙉🙈

 

scholars all should know what

 

sorry forgot they buy AD one huh

 

so fat pay cheque why PI 

 

Sorry James no pun intended 🤝🤝🤝

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Jamesc

Jamesc

Hypersonic

Its really stupid to under declare!

If you are the only car importer into SG nothing to compare!

But so many importers cannot be everyone declare say 60k

and one joker declare say 22k right?

Taxman is far from stupid!

Want to cheat must use brain and cannot be so lazy!

:D

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Jamesc

Jamesc

Hypersonic
  On 1/22/2024 at 8:10 AM, Inlinefour said:

bare back kereta

no underwear oops typo declare 🙊🙉🙈

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Stripped down bare bones car is allowed.

Just come SG and change cloth seats to leather,

fix the hifi and speakers but all this savings not really much lah.

Can just sell slightly cheaper than competitors only

but all the PI also doing so cannot earn much.

:D

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Inlinefour

Inlinefour

Twincharged
  On 1/22/2024 at 8:16 AM, Jamesc said:

Stripped down bare bones car is allowed.

Just come SG and change cloth seats to leather,

fix the hifi and speakers but all this savings not really much lah.

Can just sell slightly cheaper than competitors only

but all the PI also doing so cannot earn much.

:D

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authentic ghost phantom spirit 🙈🙉🙊

unnamed.jpg

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Inlinefour

Inlinefour

Twincharged
  On 1/22/2024 at 8:13 AM, Jamesc said:

Its really stupid to under declare!

If you are the only car importer into SG nothing to compare!

But so many importers cannot be everyone declare say 60k

and one joker declare say 22k right?

Taxman is far from stupid!

Want to cheat must use brain and cannot be so lazy!

:D

Expand  

the unique way of doing is letting you declare song song

 

then make tons of money

 

After that

 

Make you see god 🙊🙉🙈

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Jamesc

Jamesc

Hypersonic
(edited)

Any car dealers can do this

but most of us are just too smart to do it.

:D

There are so many better ways to cheat!

Edited by Jamesc
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