FIRM FINED FOR ATTEMPTED TRANSHIPMENT OF

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