Thirteen former private security officers have been brought before the court to face a series of charges involving the misappropriation of seized contraband, illegal possession of vapes, and obstruction of justice. The accused individuals were all serving as enforcement officers at the time of the alleged offenses, which took place between 2019 and 2022.
Theft of Seized Contraband and Prohibited Goods
According to legal documents, eight of the men—identified as Fitri, Syafiq, Aidil, Hazim, Faddley, Chan, Fiaros, and Haziq—are accused of pocketing duty-unpaid cigarettes and various e-vaporiser products. These items, valued at approximately S$18,327, had been entrusted to them as part of their official enforcement duties. Instead of processing the evidence, the individuals allegedly diverted the goods for personal use or distribution.
The investigation revealed that several of the officers conspired together to misappropriate these items on multiple occasions. Furthermore, four of the officers were specifically tasked with disposing of prohibited tobacco products from official disposal bins at various checkpoints. Rather than destroying the items, they allegedly kept the contraband cigarettes for themselves. Subsequent searches of their residences uncovered cigarettes that failed to meet mandatory standardised packaging requirements.
Possession of Illegal Vapes and Stolen Property
In addition to the breach of trust charges, several officers face counts related to the possession of e-vaporisers and related components. Authorities stated that these items were originally part of official case seizures. The officers allegedly kept the devices for personal consumption.
The probe also uncovered an internal network of illicit trade. Ten of the accused are alleged to have received stolen property from one another between 2021 and 2022. These transactions involved loose packets and cartons of duty-unpaid cigarettes and vape pods with an estimated value of S$1,438.
Attempts to Obstruct Justice
As investigators closed in, four of the individuals reportedly attempted to hide evidence. One officer, Faddley, is accused of throwing vapes and contraband cigarettes down a rubbish chute just moments before opening his door to investigators. Another officer, Fiaros, allegedly deleted digital records from his phone detailing 45 misappropriated vape pods after learning that a colleague was being questioned.
In a separate instance, an officer named Tan allegedly leaked information about the ongoing investigation to another colleague, Choo. Following this tip-off, Choo reportedly disposed of his illegal vaping equipment and deleted WhatsApp conversations to scrub any link to the investigation.
Legal Consequences and Penalties
The defendants face a variety of severe legal penalties if convicted:
- Criminal Breach of Trust: Officers convicted under Section 409 of the Penal Code face up to 20 years in prison and a fine.
- Obstructing the Course of Justice: This offense carries a potential sentence of up to seven years in prison, a fine, or both.
- Receiving Stolen Property: Guilty parties may face up to five years of imprisonment.
- Tobacco and Customs Offenses: Possession of e-vaporisers carries a fine of up to S$2,000, while dealing in duty-unpaid cigarettes can result in fines up to 40 times the tax evaded and up to six years in jail.
The legal proceedings for all thirteen individuals are currently ongoing as the court reviews the evidence of their alleged abuse of authority.
