Retailer's licence suspended for selling cigarettes to underaged youth
Posted: 18 May 2009 1347 hrs

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SINGAPORE: A tobacco retailer at Woodlands Avenue 7 has had his retail licence suspended after an employee was caught selling cigarettes to underaged youths for the second time.

The Health Sciences Authority (HSA) said the licence of Hub Seng Huat Newspapers Agency has been suspended for six months from last Saturday.

On March 20, an employee was caught selling cigarettes to an underaged youth and was fined S$2,000. In August last year, another employee from the shop was also caught committing the same offence.

Hub Seng Huat Newspapers Agency is the second tobacco retailer to have its licence suspended this year.

It is an offence under the Smoking (Control of Advertisements and Sale of Tobacco) Act to sell tobacco products to buyers below 18 years old.

First-time offenders could be fined up to S$5,000, and for the second or subsequent conviction, they could be fined up to S$10,000. Repeat offenders will also have their tobacco retail licences suspended or revoked.

The public can call the Tobacco Regulation Unit of the HSA at 6213-8930 or 6213-8931 during office hours to report on the illegal sale of tobacco products.


- CNA/so