China-made mattresses were allegedly stamped “Made in Singapore” as part of a scheme to avoid US tariffs on Chinese goods.
Three people and a company have been charged, a day after the Trump administration said Singapore is at risk of being used for this purpose: https://cna.asia/4fYWVh4
Full Details of the Case
Offence: Alleged scheme to falsely label China-made mattresses as "Made in Singapore" and declare them as Singapore-origin goods for export to the US, to evade higher US import duties/tariffs on Chinese goods.
Charged Parties (Aug 14, 2026):
- Yin Yuxi, 28, Singapore Permanent Resident
- Xue Xin, 37, Chinese national
- Bernard Koh Wee Yiap, 54, Singaporean
- Healthy Living Biotech, Singapore-registered company
Offences Charged With:
- Making false trade declarations & false statements
- Applying incorrect trade descriptions to goods
- Fraudulent evasion of Goods and Services Tax (GST) on imports (against the company, Yin & Koh only)
Scheme Details:
- Operational period: August 2024 – September 2025
- Value of goods involved: ~S$1.9 million (US$1.5 million)
- Modus operandi: Mattresses manufactured in China were stamped/packaged with "Made in Singapore" markings and falsely certified as Singapore origin for US export
- Additional GST fraud: Alleged suppression of import declared values, evading ~S$111,000 in GST
- Investigation launched: February 2026 by Singapore Customs
Timing & US Context:
- Charges filed one day after the Trump administration released a report flagging Singapore as one of 40+ trading partners at risk of being exploited for illegal transshipment—routing Chinese goods through third countries with lower US tariffs to avoid duties
- White House noted Singapore’s preferential US market access makes it an "attractive opportunistic target"; plans to use AI with US Customs to detect such transshipment
Penalties if Convicted:
- Under Regulation of Imports and Exports Act 1995 (false declarations): Fine up to S$10,000, jail up to 2 years, or both
- Incorrect trade descriptions/false Certificate of Origin statements: Fine up to S$100,000 or 3x goods value (whichever greater), jail up to 2 years, or both
- Evading GST/duty: Jail up to 12 months & fine up to 20x the evaded amount
Official Stance: Singapore Customs stated such falsification undermines trade documentation integrity and harms Singapore’s reputation as a trusted global trading hub.