The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) is investigating after a group of people was seen handling large pieces of raw meat at a HDB void deck in Sengkang.
Videos taken at Block 107 Rivervale Walk showed meat being cut and weighed, with a cleaver and weighing scale at the scene. 8world and Lianhe Zaobao described the meat as pork.
However, whether the gathering involved the illegal sale of food has not been established.
SFA said its officers visited the location several times after receiving feedback about suspected illegal hawking. No food-selling activity was observed during those checks, and investigations are continuing.
Resident Said He Saw Group on Several Occasions
A resident named Jamiro told Mothership that he had noticed the group about three times, with the latest occasion he witnessed taking place on 29 August.
Zaobao reported that the 29 August incident occurred at about 10.42am.
Photos and videos supplied by the resident showed a large piece of raw pork placed on cardboard, while a man cut the meat with a cleaver. A weighing scale could also be seen.
The resident said he did not personally see money changing hands or hear anyone taking orders or quoting prices, according to Zaobao. He did, however, see the meat being weighed and divided into portions.
In one video, a person in the group reportedly said they were not selling the meat but dividing it.
Another man at the scene, whom the resident later described as a passer-by rather than a member of the group, said someone had bought the meat wholesale and the group was splitting it up.
That explanation has not been independently established.
SFA Did Not Find Food Being Sold During Its Checks
SFA told the media that its officers had conducted several checks at Block 107 Rivervale Walk following feedback about possible illegal hawking.
The agency said it did not observe any unauthorised sale of food during those inspections. It is carrying out further investigations and said it would continue monitoring the situation and take enforcement action where necessary.
Under the Environmental Public Health Act, food cannot be hawked in public spaces without the appropriate SFA licence.
SFA said unregulated street food sales can pose food-safety problems because sellers may be difficult to trace if consumers encounter problems, while the food may not meet the agency’s safety requirements. It advised members of the public not to buy from suspected illegal hawkers and to report such activities through its online feedback channel.
There is an important distinction if food is simply being divided as part of a genuine private group buy. SFA’s general guidelines say private group-buy arrangements do not require an SFA licence, such as when friends collectively order from a licensed Singapore food supplier for a better price.
The agency nevertheless advises group-buy organisers to obtain food from reputable sources and keep products at the correct temperature. Certain activities, such as importing meat for sale, still require the appropriate licence regardless of whether buyers belong to a private group.
SFA has not said that the Rivervale Walk incident qualifies as a private group buy, and its investigation into what happened remains ongoing.
