A street hawker selling roasted chestnuts in Singapore has been fined S$27,600 for operating without a licence.
In a statement by Singapore Food Agency (SFA) yesterday (4 May), Mr Tan Hee Meng was slapped with the fine in default of a 36-day jail term.
Source: Yasir Gürbüz on Unsplash
Between May 2019 and March 2023, Mr Tan committed a total of 19 counts of “illegal hawking of food” around Singapore.
SFA said that he demonstrated a clear disregard for the law as he continued to operate illegally even after it had taken numerous enforcement actions.
According to The Straits Times (ST), the 62-year-old hawker had set up shop in the eastern part of Singapore.
Locations he sold at included East Coast Road, Onan Road, and Marine Parade Central, as well as near bus stops at Ubi and Bedok.
Source: Google Maps
However, this is not the first time the hawker has landed in hot water.
In 2018, Mr Tan was found guilty of similar offences and asked to pay a fine of S$3,600 in default of four days in jail.
This time, he will have to serve 36 days in prison if he is unable to pay the S$27,600 fine.
Via its statement, SFA emphasised that unregulated street hawking cases like Mr Tan’s put food safety at risk.
For starters, the food sold may not meet food safety requirements.
Unlicensed hawkers are also “transitory”, which makes tracing them impossible if buyers have a problem with their purchases.
In summary, illegal street hawkers would be passing a whole host of risks along to unsuspecting consumers.
In terms of punishment, SFA stated that repeat offenders may receive a fine not exceeding S$10,000.
They would also face jail time of up to three months, either alongside or instead of the fine.
SFA advised members of the public to not patronise illegal hawkers should they see them.
Additionally, it urged the public to make a report via its online feedback form with details for further investigations.
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Featured image adapted from Yasir Gürbüz on Unsplash.
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