Bryan Woo Kah Hou, a 26-year-old money courier, faced legal repercussions for not declaring approximately S$3 million he carried into Singapore on two separate trips. Working for Million Serenity, a Malaysia-based currency exchange company, Woo was tasked with bringing foreign customers’ money into Singapore for exchange into Malaysian ringgit. Despite Singaporean law requiring the declaration of any amount over S$20,000, Woo failed to comply on both occasions.
Legal Consequences
Woo was sentenced to a S$30,000 fine after pleading guilty to two charges under the Corruption, Drug Trafficking and Other Serious Crimes Act for moving cash in and out of Singapore without accurate declarations. This decision came during a court session on November 14, where another similar charge was considered.
Operational Details
Woo’s job involved collecting various currencies, including Brunei dollars and Singapore dollars, from clients in Brunei to courier to Singapore. These currencies were then exchanged into Malaysian ringgit, which were either returned to clients in Brunei or remitted there. On one occasion, he declared only a fraction of the total amount he was carrying, following his father-in-law’s advice to avoid potential investigation by authorities.
Detection and Failed Attempt
On June 15, Woo under-declared the amount he was carrying on a declaration form after consulting his wife and father-in-law. Despite carrying over S$1,000,000, he declared significantly less and managed to pass through the immigration checkpoint at Changi Airport. However, his subsequent attempt on June 20 was thwarted when an ICA officer directed him for an X-ray examination of his bags, revealing the discrepancy.
This case highlights the stringent regulations governing the movement of large sums of money into Singapore and the legal ramifications of non-compliance.
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