PUBLISHED ONJanuary 22, 2026 5:43 AMBYSean LerMore than 70 travellers were caught for various offences — including failing to declare large amounts of cash and evading taxes on cigarettes and liquor — in a week-long, multi-agency enforcement operation conducted across Singapore's land, air and sea checkpoints.
In a joint statement on Thursday (Jan 22), the police, Immigration and Checkpoints Authority and Singapore Customs said more than 10,000 travellers and 260 vehicles were checked during the operation, which took place between Jan 13 and 19.
In addition, more than 14,000 pieces of luggage and hand-carry bags were scanned or searched.
These were part of efforts to "detect and enforce against non-compliance of Singapore's cross-border cash reporting regime (CBCRR) and other illegal cross-border activities", the agencies said.
A 46-year-old female foreign traveller and a 49-year-old male foreign traveller were caught for moving cash exceeding $20,000, or its equivalent in foreign currencies, without declaration.
The female traveller was found with multiple undeclared foreign currencies amounting to $24,965 and was issued with a notice of warning, while the male traveller had cash cheques amounting to $91,789 without declaration and was fined $9,000.
It is a crime not to report cash or currency of more than $20,000 when crossing Singapore's borders. If found guilty, offenders can be fined up to $50,000, jailed for up to three years, or both. The cash can also be confiscated.
"Singapore takes a serious view against cash smuggling and any related money laundering activities, and will not hesitate to take stern enforcement actions against any individuals who commit these offences and persons who facilitate them," the agencies said.
Seventy other travellers were caught for failing to declare and pay taxes on cigarettes or tobacco products, liquor exceeding duty-free concession, or goods exceeding the Goods and Service Tax (GST) import relief.
The total amount of duty and GST evaded was $3,398 and composition fines of $21,990 were imposed.
Among the cases, a traveller was caught carrying six sets of undeclared roller blinds, while another had undeclared smart watches.
Under the Customs Act, individuals may face a fine of up to 20 times the amount evaded, or imprisonment of up to two years, or both, if they are found involved in the fraudulent evasion of customs and exercise duties.
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