The powers of officers of Customs are stipulated in the Customs Act (Chapter 70). Under Section 4(1), the Director-General (DG) of Customs shall have the superintendence of all matters relating to the Customs Act, subject to the direction and control of the Minister. Under Section 4(3), Assistant Director-Generals may exercise such powers conferred on the DG by the Customs Act.
The powers of Customs officers include, among others:
- Issue of search warrants.
- Power to enter and search. Power to conduct a search may also be made without a warrant under certain circumstances.
- Power to have access to, inspect and check operation of computer and other apparatus.
- Power to search vessels and aircraft.
- Power to stop and examine any vehicle for the purpose of ascertaining whether any dutiable or uncustomed goods are contained therein.
- Power to erect or place barriers in or across any public road/street/in any public place in such manner as deemed fit and take all reasonable steps to prevent any vehicle from being driven or ridden past any such barriers if necessary to do so for the prevention of smuggling of dutiable goods or detection of revenue evasion. Power to arrest any driver/rider without warrant and detain/seize the vehicle if there is reason to believe that the name and address given are false.
- Power to open packages and examine goods.
- Power to search persons arriving in Singapore.
- Powers of seizure of goods that are the subject of an offence.
- Powers to release vehicle, vessel or aircraft under bond.
- Powers of arrest, without warrant:
- any person found committing or attempting to commit, or employing or aiding any person to commit, or abetting the commission of, an offence under the Customs Act.
- any person whom is reasonably suspected to have in his possession any dutiable or uncustomed goods or any goods liable to seizure under Customs Act.
- any person against whom a reasonable suspicion exists that he has been guilty of an offence under Customs Act.
- Powers to search any persons arrested.
Customs officers are also empowered under the provisions of the other laws under which they are required to enforce and exercise the powers within the scope of their official duties.
Click here to view the other legislation administered by Singapore Customs.
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