2 Men Fined for Running Unlicensed BBT Shop During Circuit Breaker

By
Zhi Hao
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Tough times call for desperate measures.

Or at least, that’s how the saying usually goes in films.

But in reality? It could well land you a harsh penalty:

A concept that the following two men had to deal with the hard way.

2 Men Fined for Running Unlicensed BBT Shop During Circuit Breaker

So you may recall the infamous Circuit Breaker period, when there was no real electrical ban in place but tons of closures instead.

Specifically non-essential businesses and standalone food and beverage businesses.

Two men, however, did not comply with the rules & regulations and instead proceeded at their own discretion.

According to The Straits Times, the two men operated a Bobertea outlet at Block 442 Clementi Avenue 3 despite not having a license.

The ruse was uncovered on 29 May 2020, when Singapore Food Agency (SFA) officers went down for a spot check.

SFA said: “All ingredients used for the preparation of bubble teas were seized and destroyed on the same day.”

Apparently, that was not all either. Shop manager Kok Khen Foon Gabriel was reportedly conducting staff training as well, having been instructed by Bobertea Clementi director Oh Jing Wen Joseph to do as such.

In addition, the former also took online orders without the latter’s knowledge.

Sentencing

For the offences, Kok was penalised S$6,500 in court.

Oh was fined S$5,500.

For violating the COVID-19 (Temporary Measures) Act 2020, first-time offenders could face a fine stretching to S$10,000, an imprisonment term of up to six months, or both, with repeat offenders facing double the penalties.

Meanwhile, those who operate food establishments without a valid license could face a fine of up to S$10,000.

Other Instances

The circuit breaker phase, which lasted between 7 April and 1 June 2020, actually saw numerous violations of differing natures.

In fact, over 3,000 written advisories were issued on the second day of the “circuit breaker” period alone, a month of elevated social distancing measures to curb the spread of COVID-19.

The majority of these were issued at hawker centres, markets, and across Housing and Development Board (HDB) public spaces.

Later on, several offenders would go on to face charges under the COVID-19 (Temporary Measures) (Control Order) Regulations 2020.

Featured Image: Facebook (SFA;Bober Tea)

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Zhi Hao
Email: [email protected]