A woman on Wednesday, October 3, was asked to pay a fine of $5,000 (Php271,350) for smuggling “balut” duck eggs from Vietnam to Singapore.
The woman, identified as Le Thi Ung, pleaded guilty before a Singapore court after being caught by the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority at Singapore’s Changi Airport on September 8, the Channel reported as cited by Asia Times.
The authorities at the airport said the woman was pushing a trolley with two suspicious styrofoam boxes when they decided to approach her.
When checked, authorities discovered the smuggled “balut” eggs, a snack that originated in the Philippines.
Balut, however, is illegal in Singapore as per the directives of the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority of Singapore.
The woman was asked to pay a fine for violating the Wholesome Meat and Fish Act.
Even in the UAE, bringing “balut” is illegal. In 2016, the Philippines Consulate in Dubai issued an alert to the Filipino community not to bring duck eggs from the Philippines.
“The entry of commercial and non-commercial quantities (for personal consumption) of balut into Dubai without the necessary customs and health certificates may result to their confiscation by customs authorities and possible delay in immigration clearance of the bearers,” the Consulate alerted the public.
