SINGAPORE - Despite repeated warnings from the authorities, a fish farm continued to operate an unlicensed food processing establishment and an unlawful cold store to keep items such as meat.

On April 14, Khaiseng Trading & Fish Farm (KTFF) was fined $19,000 after it was convicted of three charges under the Wholesome Meat and Fish Act. According to the law, processing establishments and cold stores for meat and seafood products can be operated only with a valid licence.

The company’s director, Teo Khai Seng, 65, who failed to prevent the offences from being committed, was fined $14,000. He had also pleaded guilty to three charges under the same Act.

Between June 2023 and March 2024, Singapore Food Agency (SFA) officers seized more than 600kg of products including catfish and crocodile meat from the company’s premises in Neo Tiew Crescent near Kranji Way.

“Illegal processing and storage of meat and seafood at unlicensed facilities pose a food safety risk,” SFA said in a statement, adding that it routinely conducts inspections to ensure compliance with food safety standards.

An SFA prosecutor told the court that on June 21, 2023, the agency’s officers conducted an inspection at KTFF’s premises before they seized nearly 319kg of frozen seafood products found in three chest freezers.

These freezers were used as a cold store to keep such products. However, KTFF did not have a licence to use the premises as a cold store, the court heard.

The officers also seized more than 67kg of meat and fish products that had been illegally processed.

Among other things, the prosecutor said Teo had made the decision on KTFF’s behalf to use the premises illegally as a cold store and failed to exercise diligence to prevent the commission of the offences.

SFA officers, who conducted a follow-up inspection on Oct 5 that year, saw the KTFF was slaughtering bullfrogs and processing fish on its premises without a licence.

The officers also saw frozen seafood products stored in two new chest freezers at the premises, even though KTFF still did not have a licence to use its premises as a cold store.

They then seized more than 144kg of products, including seafood and bullfrog legs.

On March 25, 2024, SFA officers conducted another inspection at KTFF’s premises and found that it had continued to commit similar offences.

They seized products such as fresh minced frog meat that weighed more than 157kg in total.

• Shaffiq Alkhatib is The Straits Tim...