Attempted Currency Smuggling at Woodlands Checkpoint
Table of Contents
Incident Overview
On October 23, 2023, a 54-year-old Malaysian man was apprehended at Woodlands Checkpoint attempting to smuggle approximately $200,000 in Brunei currency into Singapore. The revelation was made by officers from the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) during enhanced checks of a Malaysia-registered vehicle.
The currency was found concealed in multiple locations within the vehicle, including under the passenger seat, inside luggage, and within a backpack, according to an ICA Facebook post published on October 30, 2023.
Declaration Requirements
Singapore regulations require travellers entering or leaving the country with more than $20,000 (or it’s equivalent in foreign currency) to make a declaration. This is to prevent money laundering and other illicit financial activities.
The ICA states that declarations must be submitted within 72 hours before arrival or departure. Travellers can fulfill this requirement thru the MyICA mobile app or the ICA website.
Investigation Status
Preliminary investigations indicate the driver was allegedly transporting the funds on behalf of another party and had not submitted the required electronic declaration. The case has been handed over to the singapore Police Force for further investigation.
