HSA penalises 13 tobacco retailers for selling cigarettes to minors
Twelve tobacco retailers have had their retail licences suspended for six months after they were caught selling cigarettes to minors under 18 years old for the first time, said the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) on Wednesday (16 August).
Another retailer, Value Supermarket located at 301 Serangoon Avenue 2, had its retail licence revoked after it was caught selling cigarettes to a 17-year-old minor in school uniform. With its licence revoked, it will no longer be allowed to sell tobacco products, said HSA.
The retailers were caught after HSA stepped up its ground surveillance and enforcement activities to deter the illegal sale of cigarettes to minors.
The 13 retailers who had their licences revoked or suspended failed to check the buyer’s age or ask for any form of identification. They had instead claimed that they were busy or that the buyer looked older than they were.
The errant outlets are:
326 Coffee Shop at 326 Woodlands Street 32
151 Coffee & Tea at 151 Serangoon North Avenue 2
Sri Kumaran Mini Mart at 557 Jurong West Street 42
Angel Supermart at 326 Woodlands Street 52
Kopitiam Investment Pte Ltd at 108 Punggol Field
H & N Mini-Mart at 620 Hougang Avenue 8
Good Price Hub at 135 Jurong Gateway Road
Chin Ju Heng Mini Supermarket at 835 Tampines Street 83
Jaya Ambiga Trading Pte Ltd at 176 Boon Lay Drive
Zeng Mao Sheng at 716 Yishun Street 71
Fortune Supermarket at 780 Woodlands Crescent
Zhong Guo Chao Shi at 418 Yishun Avenue 11
Anyone caught selling tobacco products to minors below 18 years old can be fined up to $5,000 for the first offence and $10,000 for the second or subsequent offences. The retailer’s tobacco retail licence will also be suspended for six months for the first offence and revoked for the second offence.
Anyone caught selling tobacco products to minors below 18 years old in school uniform or those below 12 years of age will have their licence revoked, even at the first offence.
Since 2015, HSA has suspended the tobacco retail licenses of 53 outlets and revoked nine.
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