10 retailers’ tobacco licences suspended for selling smokes to minors

This article is more than 12 months old

Apr 17, 2018 06:00 am

Ten tobacco retailers caught selling cigarettes to minors have had their tobacco retail licences suspended, said the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) in a release yesterday.

The retailers did not ask for identification to check the buyers' age, claiming they were busy, or that the buyers looked older than 18. They were caught through HSA's ground surveillance and enforcement activities, and had their licences suspended for six months.

"Sellers take the risk of contravening the laws if they assess age by (the) mere physical appearance of the buyer," said HSA in the release.

For selling tobacco products to minors under 18, the retailers could have been fined up to $5,000 for the first offence and have had their licence suspended for six months.

Retailers caught selling cigarettes to minors in school uniform or those below 12 years of age will have their licence revoked.

The errant retailers are: