SINGAPORE - A woman who carried more than $800,000 in cash into Singapore over a three-year period was fined $18,000 on Monday (March 22).

Rajena Begam Sheik Noordin had failed to declare that she was carrying sums of over $20,000 while entering the Republic on 27 occasions - an offence under the law.

The 52-year-old Singaporean pleaded guilty to three counts of bringing into Singapore at least $30,000 in cash and failing to tell an authorised officer that she had done so.

District Judge Jasvender Kaur took into consideration 24 other similar charges during her sentencing.

Court documents state that Rajena is a regional director with Mohamed Mustafa & Samsuddin Co, the company behind department store Mustafa Centre.

She committed the offences while entering Singapore via Changi Airport's Arrival Hall on 27 instances between Dec 16, 2015 and Dec 25, 2018.

Each trip was from India and involved her carrying about $30,000 in cash. She brought in about $810,000 in total this way. The court heard that she kept the money in a safe at her home.

"On Jan 30, 2020, the police received information on a woman who was believed to be involved in the offence of failing to declare the movement of cash into or out of Singapore on multiple occasions," said the police in a statement on Tuesday.

The police said Rajena's offences were discovered in subsequent investigations by officers from the Commercial Affairs Department.

Under the law, anyone seeking to bring into or out of Singapore more than $20,000 in cash must inform the authorities of his or her intention.

Those who fail to do so are liable for an offence under the Corruption, Drug Trafficking and Other Serious Crimes (Confiscation of Benefits) Act.

If convicted, they may be jailed up to three years, or fined up to $50,000, or both.