More than 2,000kg of meat and seafood seized from online grocer, food trader

SINGAPORE: More than 2,000kg of meat, fish and other seafood products have been seized from an online grocer and a food trader that did not have cold store licences, said the Singapore Food Agency on Thursday (Mar 10).

The two companies as well as their managing director were fined on Wednesday for operating unlicensed cold stores, said SFA in a media release. 

Online grocer Lian Huat Market was fined S$13,000, while Heng Hup Huat Foodstuffs Trading was fined S$3,000. 

The managing director of both companies, Teh Eng Kwang, was fined S$14,000 for "failing to exercise due diligence to prevent the offences from being committed", SFA said.

The agency said that in July last year, its officers found and seized about 375kg of various processed meat and seafood products stored in chest freezers at Lian Huat Market's premises. 

"In the same month, SFA officers also conducted an inspection of Heng Hup Huat Foodstuffs Trading’s premises and uncovered storage of chilled and frozen meat and fish products onsite," said the agency. 

About 1,670kg of meat and seafood products were seized. 

"Illegal storage of meat and seafood at unlicensed facilities pose a food safety risk," said the agency.

Those who keep meat or seafood products in unlicensed cold stores for the purpose of selling or supplying the goods can be fined up to S$50,000, jailed for up to two years, or both. 

Repeat offenders can be fined up to S$100,000 and/or jailed for up to three years.