Jail for man who tried to bribe ICA officer after he was caught with contraband cigarettes

SINGAPORE – A foreigner who was caught with contraband cigarettes and more than $20,000 in cash after landing at Changi Airport offered a US$10 note to an Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) officer, as he wanted to be let off the hook.

The officer rejected Xiong Wen Tao’s offer – worth S$13.45 – and referred the matter to his supervisor.

The 29-year-old Chinese national pleaded guilty to two graft charges and was sentenced to six weeks’ jail on July 19.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Benjamin Low said that Xiong had arrived at Changi Airport Terminal 3 from Sri Lanka some time before 7.40pm on June 28, and planned to leave for Laos the following day.

Xiong and his companions, including his boss, then went to the arrival hall, where the ICA officer, Sergeant 3 Nazrul Aqmal Zainuddin, stopped them, as he felt that people in the group appeared nervous. Court documents did not disclose details about Xiong’s occupation.

Sgt3 Nazrul then said that their bags had to be screened at an X-ray machine operated by a security officer.

He also asked Xiong and his companions if they had anything to declare.

When the group failed to respond, Sgt3 Nazrul showed them a signboard nearby stating that arriving travellers have to make declarations if they are bringing in items including cash exceeding $20,000 and any prohibited, controlled or restricted goods.

The messages on the signboard were in English and Mandarin, the court heard.

After reading the signboard, one of Xiong’s companions told Sgt3 Nazrul in Mandarin that he did not have such items in his possession and that he wanted to leave the arrival hall.

However, X-ray screenings later showed that there was a small stack of cash in Xiong’s pouch.

Sgt3 Nazrul proceeded to physically inspect Xiong’s bags and uncovered more than $20,000 in cash in different currencies. The Chinese national also had 18 packets of contraband cigarettes in his possession.

The ICA officer was still inspecting the bags when Xiong took out a US$10 note and handed it to security officer Edwin Lim who immediately rejected the money.

The DPP said: “The accused then took the same US$10 note and placed it inside one of (Sgt3 Nazrul’s pockets).”

Sgt3 Nazrul immediately pushed Xiong’s hand away, rejected the offer and alerted his supervisor.

Xiong was later given a stern warning for his offence involving the cash.

He also had to pay a composition fine of $1,050 for his offence linked to the contraband cigarettes.