148 illegally imported ‘balut’ eggs were concealed in suitcases within a car and were detected at Tuas Checkpoint (Photo: AVA)

A 40-year-old man was fined for smuggling 148 cooked embryonated duck eggs, commonly known as ‘balut’, into Singapore.

On 30 April this year, Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) officers discovered 148 ‘balut’ eggs hidden in two suitcases inside the boot and spare tyre compartment of a car at Tuas Checkpoint.

The driver, Lea Soon Lieo also known as Mohd Syukri Bin Sabri Lea, was fined $5,000, said a joint statement by the Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority (AVA) and ICA.

A 30-year-old woman, Ramiscal Quenny Dela Cruz, was fined $2,500 for abetting the offence.

The eggs were seized and destroyed.

According to AVA’s investigations, Lea smuggled the eggs into Singapore for sale and Dela Cruz was one of the buyers.

‘Balut’ is a popular street food in the Philippines and other parts of Southeast Asia.

The agencies said that there are currently no approved sources of ‘balut’ eggs. The maximum penalty for importing meat products from unapproved sources is $50,000 and/or a jail term of up to two years.

Meat, eggs, and their products, can only be imported from accredited sources in approved countries that comply with Singapore’s food safety standards and requirements, said the agencies.

The statement added, “While Singapore is free from bird flu, the disease is endemic in the region. Smuggled food products, which may not have undergone the necessary heat treatment to inactivate the virus, is a risk for public and animal health.”

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