SINGAPORE – In a case that has caught the attention of many, a woman has been slapped with an $18,000 fine after successfully evading goods and services tax (GST) on luxury items she purchased during a trip to Europe. In a further twist, she irresponsibly took to social media to share her cunning tactics, encouraging others to do the same.

Cloey Tan Wan Qi, 27, received her sentence on March 27 after pleading guilty to charges under the Customs Act. During the court hearing, it was revealed that Tan's escapade went beyond mere tax evasion—her public disclosures amplified her wrongdoing, as she detailed her experiences online.

Luxury Purchases and Evading GST

In May 2024, Tan traveled to the Netherlands and Belgium with her family and boyfriend, where she splurged on luxury items including five designer handbags from renowned brands like Christian Dior, Gucci, and Louis Vuitton, two luxury wallets, a pair of high-end shoes from Michael Kors, and an engagement ring from House of Gassan. The grand total for these purchases exceeded $23,000, and Tan was fully aware that she needed to declare these items and pay the corresponding GST upon her return to Singapore.

Upon her arrival at Changi Airport on May 10, Tan chose to evade the customs declaration process entirely, resulting in a tax fraud that amounted to over $2,200 in GST. But rather than laying low, she took to social media platform Lemon8 shortly thereafter to boast about her purchases and how she managed to bypass the tax system. One of her posts alarmingly instructed followers on “how to smuggle luxury goods and avoid detection by Customs.”

Legal Consequences