Divisions and Branches

The roles of the divisions of Singapore Customs are as follows:

Checkpoints Division

• Air Checkpoints Branch
• Land Checkpoints & Operations Branch
• Sea Checkpoints Branch

The main roles of the Checkpoints Division include:

• Providing essential customs services at the major checkpoints
• Strengthening the security and resilience of Singapore’s supply chain at the checkpoints
• Harmonising and aligning customs clearance processes and operational policies at the checkpoints

Compliance Division

• Company Compliance Branch
• Permits Compliance Branch
• Risk Assessment Branch

The main roles of the Compliance Division include:

• Conducting compliance checks on trade transactions with Singapore Customs and auditing companies on all customs requirements
• Conducting assessments and validations on companies for customs schemes and mutual recognition discussions with other customs authorities
• Assessing and managing the risks of Singapore Customs’ external business processes, including targeting of consignments and companies for checks
• Upholding Singapore’s rules of origin obligations and trade enforcement requirements under the respective free trade agreements, and enforcing controls over strategic goods

Human Resource (HR) Directorate

• HR Development Branch
• HR Management Branch
• Learning & Engagement Branch
• Singapore Customs Academy

The main roles of the HR Directorate include:

• Attracting and retaining the best talent for Singapore Customs through the implementation of effective HR practices, and a leadership development and management system, to achieve organisational excellence
• Developing staff competency through competency-based specialised training and knowledge management, and implementing staff engagement programmes to raise productivity, engage staff and achieve desired work culture
• Institutionalising business-HR partnership by developing a good understanding of divisions’ needs and partnering them to co-create solutions to address key people issues
• Serving as the primary interface with staff to meet their everyday HR needs, managing HR records and data, generating HR metrics and statistics and managing HR IT systems
• Enabling Customs Officers, the business community and global counterparts to obtain training in customs knowledge and competencies

Information Technology Directorate

• Application Services Branch
• IT Governance Branch
• IT Programme Management Office
• Technical Services Branch

The main roles of the Information Technology Directorate include:

• Spearheading the development of Singapore Customs’ digitalisation plan and identifying business transformational opportunities in partnership with the Divisions
• Harnessing technologies to help achieve Singapore Customs’ mission and create greater value for Singapore Customs
• Enabling the strategic deployment of digital technologies and providing quality digital services and infrastructure to achieve the business objectives and operational needs
• Formulating and implementing ICT governance, security and risk management framework
• Managing ICT projects, contracts, systems and assets

Intelligence & Investigation Division

• Intelligence Branch
• Operations Management Branch
• Operations Policy & Development Branch
• Prosecution Branch
• Special Investigation Branch
• Suppression & Community Engagement Branch
• Trade Investigation Branch

The main roles of the Intelligence & Investigation Division include:

• Providing intelligence support
• Providing operations management functions to support enforcement officers
• Conducting surveillance and investigations to suppress duty evasion and syndicate smuggling
• Identifying and investigating cases of commercial fraud
• Conducting risk review and working with stakeholder branches to formulate strategies and implement control measures on risk elements identified
• Handling prosecution cases and providing legal advice on arrest and Customs cases
• Driving community engagement to heighten public awareness and maintain public confidence in the enforcement of customs laws

Ops-Tech & Management Division

• Administration & Logistics Branch
• Finance Branch
• Plans & Technology Branch

The main roles of the Ops-Tech & Management Division include:

• Developing Singapore Customs’ ops-tech roadmap and driving the deployment of technological solutions to support customs operations and business functions
• Providing the functions of office administration, facilities management and security
• Managing Singapore Customs’ monetary resources and providing the full range of financial management services
• Managing Singapore Customs’ infrastructure projects

Policy & Planning Division

• Corporate Communications Branch
• International Relations Branch
• Organisational Excellence & Planning Branch
• Policy & Research Branch

The main roles of the Policy & Planning Division include:

• Driving Singapore Customs’ strategic and corporate planning processes and plans
• Pursuing enterprise-wide policy formulation and strategic planning
• Conducting policy reviews and promoting technical cooperation to further national interests
• Participating in international/regional customs meetings and free trade agreement negotiations
• Managing public, internal and corporate communications, as well as media relations to project the corporate identity and good image of Singapore Customs

Trade Division

• Free Trade Zone Branch
• Procedures & Systems Branch
• Schemes & Engagement Branch
• Tariffs & Trade Services Branch
• Trade Strategy & Security Branch

The main roles of the Trade Division include:

• Developing and maintaining an efficient trade framework that meets Singapore Customs’ revenue and trade facilitation objectives
• Handling the administration of the TradeNet system, including managing vendors and controlling agencies
• Providing advice on the valuation and classification of goods
• Providing advice on rules of origin for preferential tariff treatment under various FTAs
• Administering the Secure Trade Partnership programme to provide companies with a framework to guide the development, implementation, monitoring and review of the company’s supply chain security measures
• Promoting and administering all customs schemes
• Promoting engagement and partnership with trade
• Formulating effective policies and making legislative amendments to the Free Trade Zone Act

Networked Trade Platform Office

• Operations Branch
• Programmes & Engagement Branch

The main roles of the Networked Trade Platform Office include:

• Spearheading the development of services and managing the operations of the Networked Trade Platform (NTP)
• Facilitating trade by enhancing the flow of trade-related information and data to support efficient physical flow of goods and payments
• Enabling businesses to efficiently share and reuse data with the government and business partners, thereby streamlining processes and reducing inefficiencies of manual trade document exchange
• Developing Government-to-Government digital trade connectivity
• Supporting digital connections with foreign trade platforms and systems

Internal Audit Branch

The main role of the Internal Audit Branch is to evaluate the adequacy and effectiveness of internal controls and ascertain whether policies and guidelines are complied with.