Three Myanmar nationals who attempted to leave Singapore without declaring they were carrying S$508,925 in cash were convicted on Dec. 26, 2023.

The three men are Kyaw Min Oo, Wai Sai Tun, and Win Myint, according to a Jan. 5 news release issued by the Singapore Police Force.

In Singapore, it is a statutory requirement for travellers entering or leaving the country to make a report if they are carrying more than S$20,000 or its foreign currency equivalent in cash.

What happened

The police said they were alerted to the case of the three men at the Departure Hall of Changi Airport Terminal 1 on Jun. 15, 2023.

Investigations revealed that Kyaw attempted to leave Singapore without making a report on the cash belonging to him, which he intended to bring out of the country.

Wai and Win abetted Kyaw by each carrying a portion of the cash for him in their respective luggage bags.

Wai was found carrying S$250,000, while Win was found carrying S$249,000.

Kyaw was carrying S$9,925 on him.

Trio fined

All three men were subsequently convicted and fined, as they failed to report their movement of cash to a Singapore immigration officer despite knowing the amount they were carrying was above the prescribed limit of S$20,000.

Specifically, Kyaw was handed a fine of S$10,000 for a charge under the Corruption, Drug Trafficking and Other Serious Crimes (Confiscation of Benefits) Act.

Another charge related to abetting a payment service provider without a license was taken into consideration for his sentencing.

Wai and Win were also convicted and sentenced to a fine of S$5,000 each for abetting Kyaw's offence.

Penalty for offence

For every count of failing to accurately report the movement of cash exceeding the S$20,000 limit, the men could have been given a fine not exceeding S$50,000, jailed for up to three years, or both.

A confiscation order may also be sought for any part of the cash in relation to the offence that exceeds S$20,000.

Kyaw has the same name as sanctioned individual

More notably, Kyaw shares the same name as a Burmese national who was sanctioned by the European Union (EU) and the United States Department of Treasury for having "close ties" to the Burmese military.

The sanctioned Kyaw also had a business partner named Wai Sar Tun, whose name is the same as one of the three men convicted in Singapore, according to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.

Bloomberg reported that the sanctioned Kyaw had registered at least five companies in Singapore from 2015 to 2017, citing a source with direct knowledge of the matter.

Both the EU and the U.S. Department of Treasury subjected him to sanctions because he facilitated arms deals and weapons purchases on behalf of the junta.

In February 2021, the Burmese military seized control of the country after overthrowing the democratically elected government and arresting its leader, Aung San Suu Kyi.

The U.S. Department of Treasury also said the sanctioned Kyaw had used his company, Sky Aviator Company Limited, to "facilitate upgrades and maintenance for Burmese military aircraft".

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