Singapore Expats

Hi guys,

I am a new to the forum and even though I have done quite a bit of research on the topic I would like to doublecheck something with you all..

Assuming that I am importing 75ml of vodka (35% alchohol content) with my shipment ..from what I saw I have to pay 70SGD per L of alcohol..that is 70*0.75ML*35% = 18.375 SGD .. The cost of a Smirnoff bottle of 75ml is 68.5 SGD in cold storage . This means that if I buy my vodka bottles for anything less than 50 SGD (very feasible in Europe) I am better off importing them rather than buying locally.

Now, if the above scenario is correct why doesn't everybody does that? I am missing something ? Are my assumptions correct?

Did you allow for shipping charges in a climate controlled container?

sundaymorningstaple wrote:Did you allow for shipping charges in a climate controlled container?

Is climate controlled container necessary for vodka? I could understand it if you are referring to wine etc but I presume vodka should be ok.

kofi wrote:

sundaymorningstaple wrote:Did you allow for shipping charges in a climate controlled container?

Is climate controlled container necessary for vodka? I could understand it if you are referring to wine etc but I presume vodka should be ok.

SmS is right .. I had the wonderful opportunity to break open a 20 foot container, which had virtually blasted it's way internally .. Well, the saving grace was the Heinekken in the same container was sort of partitioned, and was safe ..

Thanks to a mix of Vodka and Scotch, and left in some transhipment port in the hot sun, plus the vessel missing the pickup, the container had gone mental.

Re: the importing on your own part, well, you cannot just import containers of liquor. Yes, parallel import is allowed, but you need to go through Customs to get a permit and a whole lot of work.

Well, you are smart I guess - when you realised that drinkers are all quietly importing their own stuff ..

ecureilx wrote:

kofi wrote:

sundaymorningstaple wrote:Did you allow for shipping charges in a climate controlled container?

Is climate controlled container necessary for vodka? I could understand it if you are referring to wine etc but I presume vodka should be ok.

SmS is right .. I had the wonderful opportunity to break open a 20 foot container, which had virtually blasted it's way internally .. Well, the saving grace was the Heinekken in the same container was sort of partitioned, and was safe ..

Thanks to a mix of Vodka and Scotch, and left in some transhipment port in the hot sun, plus the vessel missing the pickup, the container had gone mental.

Re: the importing on your own part, well, you cannot just import containers of liquor. Yes, parallel import is allowed, but you need to go through Customs to get a permit and a whole lot of work.

Well, you are smart I guess - when you realised that drinkers are all quietly importing their own stuff ..

Hi, thanks for your advice. I was referring to importing alcohol together with my main shipment of belongings from abroad..however, i presume the catch here is the combination of alcohol and container temperature which makes explosives..good to know ..in case i decide to go radical

P.S I like your sarcasm..i just wanted to test a thought though now things are clear

Well, you are smart I guess - when you realised that drinkers are all quietly importing their own stuff .. [/quote]


You are smarter I guess - you actually imported alcohol and all went well from what you described

Why go through all the bother. There are quite a few places where you can get it under S$40 here. Cold Storage is a rip off

kofi wrote:Well, you are smart I guess - when you realised that drinkers are all quietly importing their own stuff ..

You are smarter I guess - you actually imported alcohol and all went well from what you described [/quote]

Even smarter .. no offense intended .. I don't remember me mentioning I imported for my personal consumption ?

It was part of the monthly imports I was assisting for my friend's liquor import partnership ....

He did make fair amount of money, before selling off the company .. simply the margins kept eroding and the bars which got credit were dropping dead like flies ... that was like 5 or 6 years ago .. I guess the bars going out of business balances those come online !!!!!!!

kofi wrote:Hi guys,

I am a new to the forum and even though I have done quite a bit of research on the topic I would like to doublecheck something with you all..

Assuming that I am importing 75ml of vodka (35% alchohol content) with my shipment ..from what I saw I have to pay 70SGD per L of alcohol..that is 70*0.75ML*35% = 18.375 SGD .. The cost of a Smirnoff bottle of 75ml is 68.5 SGD in cold storage . This means that if I buy my vodka bottles for anything less than 50 SGD (very feasible in Europe) I am better off importing them rather than buying locally.

Now, if the above scenario is correct why doesn't everybody does that? I am missing something ? Are my assumptions correct?

Aside from the climate issues others have mentioned, let me drop another issue on you... cost.

First, outside of moving yourself here, anyone actually shipping alcohol here would find the shipping costs quite expensive, probably enough to remove any incentive to do as you have suggested. I don't think I could buy alcohol in the US and ship it here for a net cost any less than what I pay here.

So, I might just buy a dozen bottles of hooch at the duty free, then pay the duty on it. Example: A 1 L bottle of JW Red at the airport is SGD 25 (and Changi has one of the best prices of any airports in the region). It is 80 proof, or 40 percent. I would have to pay 1L * SGD 70 * 0.4 = SGD 28. This would give me a total bottle price of SGD 53. I can buy a 75 CL bottle of the same hooch in Little India for SGD 42, which works out to SGD 56 for 1 litre.

I don't see it.

Quick question to go along with this topic. I'm moving to Singapore shortly and am considering bringing 2 or 3 bottles in my luggage, you know, wrapped in all my clothing. Has any tried/had issues doing this previously? I mean, I know people have, but does anyone have personal experience?

scottaz2003 wrote:Quick question to go along with this topic. I'm moving to Singapore shortly and am considering bringing 2 or 3 bottles in my luggage, you know, wrapped in all my clothing. Has any tried/had issues doing this previously? I mean, I know people have, but does anyone have personal experience?

Would you then declare the alcohol at the customs on arrival and pay any required duty? If so then that would work (assuming you carefully wrapped the bottles in plastic bags and protected them inside the suitcase). But if your intention were to smuggle the additional bottles (above your duty free entitlement) into the country, then that would definitely not be a smart idea. There are X-ray machines at the arrivals hall and you could be randomly selected for screening. Would you really want to begin your stay in Singapore in such a manner?

I've been reading up on the duties required and would definitely pay them. Best I can tell, even with the duties, it's much cheaper to buy a couple bottles here and bring them with me rather than buy them in country.

scottaz2003 wrote:I've been reading up on the duties required and would definitely pay them. Best I can tell, even with the duties, it's much cheaper to buy a couple bottles here and bring them with me rather than buy them in country.

Where is HERE ???

Mi Amigo : well, I know one individual, who failed to declare "ONE BOX OF Marlboro - with 20 sticks" and was fined 150 S$ (plus 7% GST) ..

I wonder what is the fine for not declaring whiskey ..

Oh, last month, a fellow traveler in the bus, coming down from KL forgot to mention the liquor and was detained at Tuas .. after waiting for nearly half an hour we left minus one pax .. -as per the driver who went in and inquired, it was the three bottles of undeclared whiskey that held the person back ..

scottaz2003 wrote:Quick question to go along with this topic. I'm moving to Singapore shortly and am considering bringing 2 or 3 bottles in my luggage, you know, wrapped in all my clothing. Has any tried/had issues doing this previously? I mean, I know people have, but does anyone have personal experience?

I regularly bring in alcohol (wine) in my checked luggage - for convenience and also for some reason the duty free prices are higher than the shops - and haven't had an issue so far with breakages (usually wrapped in clothing in a backpack - only thought of the plastic packet on my last trip). I do declare it if it is greater than the duty free allowance though.

carteki wrote:

scottaz2003 wrote:Quick question to go along with this topic. I'm moving to Singapore shortly and am considering bringing 2 or 3 bottles in my luggage, you know, wrapped in all my clothing. Has any tried/had issues doing this previously? I mean, I know people have, but does anyone have personal experience?

I regularly bring in alcohol (wine) in my checked luggage - for convenience and also for some reason the duty free prices are higher than the shops - and haven't had an issue so far with breakages (usually wrapped in clothing in a backpack - only thought of the plastic packet on my last trip). I do declare it if it is greater than the duty free allowance though.

Ditto. I always stick to the duty free allowance as first priority. Anything more, you better be prepared to declare on your own initiative. Don't expect to declare only when you are caught