<TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%"><TBODY><TR>Sep 12, 2009
</TR><!-- headline one : start --><TR>Fake stamp ring exposed <!--10 min-->
</TR><!-- headline one : end --><TR>Chinese national jailed as a member of racket </TR><!-- Author --><TR><TD class="padlrt8 georgia11 darkgrey bold" colSpan=2>By Khushwant Singh
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A check by authorised printer Cartor Security Printing of France confirmed that the 4,000 stamps seized did not have the security markings of genuine stamps. -- ST PHOTO: CHEW SENG KIM
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<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"-->IN THE first case of its kind, a Chinese national has been jailed for three years for selling counterfeit postage stamps. The fake stamps were discovered on parcels by Singapore Post in November last year, a district court heard on Friday.
The police were called in and in May this year, got a tip-off which led to the arrest of Andrew Heung Kwok Hung, 44, at the Ramla Department Store in Bras Basah Complex.
He was the point man for an international syndicate selling the fake stamps, allegedly to Chew Kia Juat, the store's 70-year-old owner. Chew has not been dealt with.
According to court papers, Heung was hired by a man in his 40s, known only as Ah Chan and believed to be a resident of Hong Kong.
The men first came to Singapore together in January 2007, where Heung got to know Chew, who would order the fake stamps and make payment through him.
Between then and when he was caught, Heung met Chew on at least 18 occasions, collecting up to $20,000 each time. In early May, Chew placed his last order for 3,000 pieces of counterfeit $1 postage stamps and 1,000 pieces of the $2 variety at a cost of $3,750.
The fakes were sent from Shenzhen in China, through parcel delivery service Speedpost. A few days later, Heung flew in to collect his payment and was nabbed at Chew's store.
A check by authorised printer Cartor Security Printing of France confirmed that the 4,000 stamps seized did not have the security markings of genuine stamps.
Asking the court to impose a deterrent sentence, Deputy Public Prosecutor Nor'ashikin Samdin said Heung had committed serious fraud on the authorities.
Since an international syndicate was involved, the punishment meted out to Heung must be sufficiently severe to deter other foreigners, as well as citizens here, from even thinking about carrying out such crimes, she added.
Read the full story in Saturday's edition of The Straits Times.
</TR><!-- headline one : start --><TR>Fake stamp ring exposed <!--10 min-->
</TR><!-- headline one : end --><TR>Chinese national jailed as a member of racket </TR><!-- Author --><TR><TD class="padlrt8 georgia11 darkgrey bold" colSpan=2>By Khushwant Singh
</TD></TR><!-- show image if available --><TR vAlign=bottom><TD width=330>
</TD><TD width=10>
A check by authorised printer Cartor Security Printing of France confirmed that the 4,000 stamps seized did not have the security markings of genuine stamps. -- ST PHOTO: CHEW SENG KIM
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"-->IN THE first case of its kind, a Chinese national has been jailed for three years for selling counterfeit postage stamps. The fake stamps were discovered on parcels by Singapore Post in November last year, a district court heard on Friday.
The police were called in and in May this year, got a tip-off which led to the arrest of Andrew Heung Kwok Hung, 44, at the Ramla Department Store in Bras Basah Complex.
He was the point man for an international syndicate selling the fake stamps, allegedly to Chew Kia Juat, the store's 70-year-old owner. Chew has not been dealt with.
According to court papers, Heung was hired by a man in his 40s, known only as Ah Chan and believed to be a resident of Hong Kong.
The men first came to Singapore together in January 2007, where Heung got to know Chew, who would order the fake stamps and make payment through him.
Between then and when he was caught, Heung met Chew on at least 18 occasions, collecting up to $20,000 each time. In early May, Chew placed his last order for 3,000 pieces of counterfeit $1 postage stamps and 1,000 pieces of the $2 variety at a cost of $3,750.
The fakes were sent from Shenzhen in China, through parcel delivery service Speedpost. A few days later, Heung flew in to collect his payment and was nabbed at Chew's store.
A check by authorised printer Cartor Security Printing of France confirmed that the 4,000 stamps seized did not have the security markings of genuine stamps.
Asking the court to impose a deterrent sentence, Deputy Public Prosecutor Nor'ashikin Samdin said Heung had committed serious fraud on the authorities.
Since an international syndicate was involved, the punishment meted out to Heung must be sufficiently severe to deter other foreigners, as well as citizens here, from even thinking about carrying out such crimes, she added.
Read the full story in Saturday's edition of The Straits Times.
