Thirteen former Certis enforcement officers were charged in court on Friday, January 30, for a range of alleged offences, including misappropriating seized items, possessing vapes and contraband cigarettes, and obstructing investigations.
The accused, all Singaporeans who were working as enforcement officers at the time of the alleged offences, were named in a joint press release by Singapore Customs, the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) and the Health Sciences Authority (HSA). The offences are said to have taken place on various occasions between 2019 and 2022.
According to the authorities, eight of the men and women allegedly misappropriated cartons and loose packets of duty-unpaid cigarettes, e-vaporisers, vape pods and other prohibited tobacco products worth a total of about S$18,327.
These items had been entrusted to them in the course of their duties as enforcement officers. Five of the accused are also alleged to have conspired with one another on separate occasions to misappropriate the seized items.
Four of the former officers were additionally charged with possessing e-vaporisers and related components when they were caught by CPIB officers in 2022. Investigators said the items were allegedly taken from case seizures linked to their work and were intended for personal consumption.
The authorities added that several of the accused were responsible for disposing of duty-unpaid cigarettes and vapes from HSA disposal bins at various checkpoints as part of their duties. Instead, they are accused of taking the items meant for disposal and keeping them for their own use. Contraband cigarettes that did not meet standardised packaging requirements were later found in their homes.
Ten of the accused are also alleged to have dishonestly received stolen items from one another and others between 2021 and 2022. These items included sticks, loose packets and cartons of duty-unpaid cigarettes, as well as vape pods, with a total value of about S$1,438.
In addition, four of the former officers face charges for allegedly obstructing the course of justice during CPIB investigations in 2022.
In one instance, an accused is said to have thrown vapes, vape pods and contraband cigarettes down a rubbish chute at a Housing and Development Board flat before opening the door to CPIB officers.
Another is accused of deleting records on his phone after learning of the investigation, while two others allegedly shared information about the probe, leading to the disposal of seized items and deletion of messages.
If convicted of criminal breach of trust under Section 409 of the Penal Code, an offender may face up to 20 years' imprisonment and a fine.
Those found guilty of dishonestly receiving stolen property can be jailed for up to five years, fined, or both, while obstruction of justice carries a potential jail term of up to seven years and a fine.
Possession of e-vaporisers is punishable by a fine of up to S$2,000, while offences involving duty-unpaid cigarettes can attract heavy fines and imprisonment under customs and tax laws.
In response to queries, Certis said the 13 individuals are no longer with the company. A spokesperson said Certis does not tolerate criminal conduct and expects its officers to maintain high standards of discipline and professionalism, adding that additional control measures have since been implemented to tighten internal processes.
