10 swords smuggled into S'pore seized by authorities

A total of 10 swords were attempted to be smuggled into Singapore via inbound cargo containers in three separate attempts.

The Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) foiled these attempts to smuggle the swords in August, the agency said in a Facebook post on Oct. 9.

The swords were discovered after ICA officers at Pasir Panjang Scanning Station and Tuas Port noticed anomalies in the scanned images and directed the cargo containers for further checks.

Ten swords were seized in August

Officers found a metal sword and a wooden sword on Aug. 5.

Another two metal swords were found on Aug. 24.

Six swords were found two days later, with two metal, two plastic, and two wooden swords.

The cases were referred to the Singapore Police Force (SPF) for further investigation.

Swords considered arms

A 45-year-old man was charged in court on Jul. 26 this year for allegedly possessing offensive weapons and shooting metal pellets using a catapult, causing damage to the windows of flats in Bukit Panjang.

In 2023, a 49-year-old Singaporean man was arrested by the police after a video of him swinging a katana (samurai sword) and slicing a plastic PET bottle in half was posted on social media.

Swords, guns, bayonets, daggers, and spears all fall under examples of "arms", according to Singapore Customs.

Those found possessing such objects may be given a maximum fine of S$10,000, a maximum of three years in jail, or both.

Weapons identified as controlled items by SPF can be brought into Singapore after gaining approval from the Police Licensing & Regulatory Department (PLRD).

More information can found on the SPF website.

Top image via ICA Facebook.