SINGAPORE: Netizens were quick to comment on a Singaporean woman who brought luxury items from Europe and gave tips online, teaching others to do the same after she evaded paying goods and services tax (GST) at Changi Airport.
One commenter noted that the woman, Cloey Tan Wan Qi, who’s 27 years old and fined S$18,000 after she pleaded guilty to a charge under the Customs Act, said that going online to share “six tips” was her trying to play “catch me if you can” with authorities.
Another commenter added that she missed the seventh tip — “not brag and post about it.”
According to The Straits Times, District Judge Eddy Tham said that not only did Ms Tan evade the law, but she also had the audacity to teach others how to circumvent the law.
The court was told that in May last year, Ms Tan, along with her family and her boyfriend, went to the Netherlands and Belgium to buy multiple luxury items, including five bags, two wallets, and a pair of shoes from brands like Christian Dior, Gucci, Louis Vuitton, and Michael Kors.
They also bought an engagement ring from the House of Gassan.
While Ms Tan knew she had to declare the items they bought, which totalled over S$23,000, at Changi Airport, she did not declare the said goods when she landed on May 10 — evading over S$2,200 worth of GST.
Several days later, she shared her purchases on the social media platform Lemon8 and how she evaded paying GST when she arrived home.
One of her posts was: “Six tips on how to smuggle luxury goods and avoid detection by Customs.”
Authorities later discovered her posts, leading to her arrest in January 2025.
The prosecutor requested a fine of S$16,000 to S$17,000, highlighting her initial lack of remorse for sharing the tips online. However, the prosecutor acknowledged that Ms Tan later showed remorse by making full restitution and pleading guilty.
In mitigation, Ms Tan apologised and asked for leniency.
As an only child, she said that she had not only disappointed herself and her parents, who had high hopes for her but also caused them anxiety and distress.
Under the Customs Act, anyone found guilty of evading duties may face a fine of up to 20 times the amount of duty, and GST evaded or a jail term of up to two years. /TISG
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