A man was sentenced to 12 weeks' jail and fined $10,000 yesterday after illegally importing two airsoft guns - toy replicas that shoot non-metallic projectiles.
Lim Su-Ming Joel, 31, admitted to two charges of importing arms without a valid licence, and to one count each of unlawfully possessing a packet of airsoft ammunition and a foldable karambit knife.
Five other charges were taken into consideration by District Judge Kan Shuk Weng during sentencing.
The court heard that Lim would visit 5.11 Tactical, a shop in Johor Baru, three times a year to buy airsoft guns that he had ordered through the messaging app WeChat.
He would also buy airsoft guns from the shop and sell them on online marketplace Carousell.
Court documents stated that Lim would sometimes buy airsoft gun parts from the shop and sell them to friends to earn a quick profit.
Lim drove from Singapore to 5.11 Tactical at about 11am on July 2, 2018, to buy two airsoft guns, the court was told.
He disassembled the guns and hid the parts under the driver's seat and the front passenger seat of his car, as well as in his bag, to avoid detection by the authorities here.
But the parts were discovered by immigration officers at Woodlands Checkpoint after Lim drove back to Singapore later that day.
One of the officers also found a foldable karambit knife in his bag.
A packet of airsoft ammunition, consisting of plastic pellets, was later found in Lim's house after a police raid on July 3, 2018.
One of Lim's customers, Lee Choon Ming, was also sentenced yesterday. He was jailed for two weeks and fined $6,000 after pleading guilty to possessing three airsoft pistols that he had bought from Lim.
Three similar charges were taken into consideration by District Judge Kan during sentencing.
Lee, 47, had bought a combat knife with a sheath from Lim through Carousell some time in 2016.
He later purchased the three airsoft pistols, among other things, from Lim on three occasions.
The pistols were seized in a police raid at Lee's flat after Lim told the police that he had sold airsoft guns to Lee.
District Judge Kan deferred both men's sentences to start on Aug 17.
