SGD 1,500 Fine Imposed on Man who took in Foreign Non-Employees Inside Farm

Smuggling people or products in the country is a serious offence on its own, but when other areas of societal regulations such as public health and land use are compromised, expect stricter sanctions to be applied by the law, on top of administrative actions that may also apply.

Other considerations in such cases would also be evaluated by other relevant authorities such as the Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA) based on the nature of the violation.

SGD 1,500 Fine Imposed on Man who took in Foreign Non-Employees Inside Farm
Image Credits: AVA

Man Fined for Taking in Foreign Non-Employees Inside Farm

A 58-year old man was slapped with a fine of SGD 1,500 last February 13 (Wednesday) for violating farm licensing conditions according to the AVA, as shared in a report by Channel News Asia.

Acting on a public tip-off, AVA authorities conducted a joint night raid with the Singapore Lad Authority and the Ministry of Manpower at Kai Hong Aquatics.

Based on the investigation, Toh Kay Hong, the licensee of the farm, was discovered to have violated the AVA’s farm licensing conditions by allowing the storage of several skip tanks within the farm’s premises.

The man also allowed two foreigners who are not employees of the farm to stay inside farm facilities.

One of the foreigners was also found to have brought three dogs in a shipping container that had been converted into a makeshift home.

The AVA pointed out that due to land constraints in Singapore, land intended for agriculture is meant solely for farming use.

Furthermore, only farming or ancillary agricultural activities approved by relevant authorities are allowed on the farms, the AVA explained.

Anyone found to be in violation of such regulations as per the AVA’s farm licensing conditions can be sent to prison for up to a year and face a fine of up to SGD 10,000.