NEWS
SINGAPORE MERCHANTS JAILED & FINED FOR SUPPLYING WINES & LUXURY GOODS TO N. KOREA
By Susan Lewis
20-9-2020
Credit: Steve Barker/Unsplash
A number of Singaporean companies have been found guilty of supplying luxury goods including wines and spirits to North Korea in violation of United Nations sanctions in last two years. One offender was jailed 34 months plus hefty fines.
The most recent case involved 60-year-old Chong Hock Yen who is the director of three Singapore-based companies. He pleaded guilty on last Thursday to engaging in a conspiracy to supply luxury goods worth almost USD200,000 to North Korea.
Over nearly six years, his companies supplied items including perfume, cosmetics, watches, and musical instruments to firms in North Korea under Chong's instructions, according to court documents.
One of his accomplices, Li Hyon, a North Korean student in Singapore who helped his father source products in the city state for his chain of department stores in North Korea, was jailed for four weeks earlier this year for his role.
Last November, the Singaporean director of a trading firm was jailed for 34 months and fined USD880,000 for supplying USD4.4 million worth of items including wine, spirits and perfume to North Korea.
Another Singapore company was accused last year of supplying wine and spirits worth about USD490,000 to the North Korea through the Chinese city of Dalian.
The United Nations Security Council has passed a number of resolutions to sanction North Korea since the country conducted its first nuclear test in 2006.
Violating the sanctions before 10 March 2014 can bring jail terms of up to five years and fines. Offences committed after 10 March 2014 can result in jail terms of up to 10 years and fines.
(the writer can be contacted at: info@thewinechronicle.com)
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