Man, 44, fined S$60,000 for importing 154 replica guns without permit to sell on Carousell & Telegram

For importing 154 replica guns and putting them up for sale on the e-commerce platform, Carousell, and Telegram, a 44-year-old man was fined S$60,000 after pleading guilty to his charges on Sep. 2.

The man, surnamed Ng, was charged on Mar. 6 for importing replica guns without police approval, in breach of the Regulation of Imports and Exports Act.

Wanted to undercut the market

Investigations revealed that Ng took an interest in replica guns in February 2023, Chinese media Shin Min Daily News (Shin Min) reported.

He went on Carousell to shop for replicas, but found the listings, which were priced at around S$380, to be too expensive.

Seeking alternatives, he went on Taobao, a Chinese e-commerce site, and purchased five replicas for S$35 each with the intent to sell them in Singapore.

Ng later decided to buy the replicas in bulk to save on delivery costs.

Between Mar. 14, 2023, and May 5 of the same year, Ng ordered two shipments of replica guns with an import value totalling S$3,200.

Each shipment cost him S$300 to S$400 in delivery fees.

Ng went on to sell the replicas on Carousell and Telegram at below market rate, with his highest-priced item at S$288.

He successfully transacted with at least three buyers, Shin Min reported.

On May 11, police received a tip-off about the sale of replica guns on e-commerce platforms.

They raided Ng's home in Race Course Lane on May 26.

Knew he needed license

Police investigations revealed that since Mar. 21, 2023, Ng was aware that selling replica guns without prior approval from the police was illegal but it did not stop him, Shin Min.

While the prosecution sought a S$60,000 to S$70,000 fine, Ng's lawyer argued for leniency on the account that Ng was a first-time offender and had been cooperative with investigators.

The judge allowed him to split his S$60,000 fine, with half to be paid upfront and the other half in instalments.

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Top image via Shin Min Daily News