SINGAPORE — There were 77 cases of offensive weapons detected in air cargo entering Singapore from January to October 2023, a 67 per cent increase from the 46 cases in the same period in 2022.
The police and Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) revealed these latest figures at the Changi Airfreight Centre (CAC) on Dec 13.
The Straits Times understands the spike is mainly due to people bringing in knuckle dusters and slingshots.
Offensive weapons also include airsoft guns, flick knives, nunchakus, machetes and pepper sprays.
To tackle this concerning trend, the police and ICA showed how they detect and foil attempts to import offensive weapons in air cargo.
Before the cargoes arrive, ICA uses data to identify high-risk consignments, cargoes and parcels.
At CAC, all cargo vehicles go through a radiographic scanning portal, which produces a scan of the vehicle's contents.
ICA's image analysts look for anomalies such as items which do not tally with the permit information.
If anomalies are spotted, officers conduct more detailed checks on individual cargoes with X-ray machines. No matter how many layers are wrapped around it, the X-ray shows the shape and density of each item clearly.
Blue colours on the X-ray scan indicate items with high density, such as metal. Orange shows organic items, while green indicates mixed materials such as glass or plastic.
Cargo clearance officer Sergeant (2) Muhammad Haikal Mahmood told reporters: "Usually, for offensive weapons such as knuckle dusters and batons, it would be in blue colour (on the scan) as it is made with metal and has high density."
He showed how the machine detected his baton and handcuffs, which appeared in the scan clearly in dark blue. Both are controlled items which require a licence or permit from the police before import.
ICA officers also have a handheld device that can detect items with explosives, such as firearms, hidden in parcels.
All it takes is a swab with a tester paper on the surface of the parcel. The tester paper is then inserted in the device, which indicates whether explosives are present. The same device can also test for the presence of narcotics.
When such weapons are found, ICA officers refer the cases to relevant agencies, including the police. The police may then seize the items for further investigation.
Anyone found importing or in possession of prohibited items, be it in public or in a private place such as their homes, may be arrested and investigated, said the police.
Offenders who possess a scheduled weapon may be jailed for up to five years and caned a maximum of six times.
In October 2023, Joel Ezekiel, 49, who posted a video of himself wielding a samurai sword in public, was charged in court.
Officers who raided his home found more weapons including a butterfly knife, knuckle duster and flick knife.
Another case in the same month saw Muhammed Firdaus Amir Musa, 38, arrested for allegedly attacking two Traffic Police officers with a stun device.
According to court documents, he was also found with two knuckle dusters, a sword, a chopper and a serrated knife. During preliminary investigations, Firdaus said he bought the stun device online a few months prior to the incident.
The police said they have conducted engagement sessions with online e-commerce companies such as Lazada, Shopee and Carousell.
The police work together with these companies to identify and deal with sales of such weapons on their platforms. When prohibited listings are detected, the platforms work towards removing them. Prohibited items include knuckle dusters and slingshots, meaning they cannot be imported at all.
Pepper sprays and toy guns are considered controlled items, where a permit is needed for import. Members of the public who wish to purchase such items from overseas should first check with the police licensing and regulatory department.
If unsure whether an item is prohibited, they may check the police licensing and regulatory department website, call 6835-0000 or e-mail spf_licensing_feedback@spf.gov.sg
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This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.
