Singapore Police Force - Guns Explosives and Weapons Division (GEWD) - Police Regulatory Department (PRD)
Singapore Police Force - Guns Explosives and Weapons Division (GEWD) - Police Regulatory Department (PRD)
Arms and Explosives Act 1913
The Guns Explosives and Weapons Division (GEWD) of the Police Regulatory Department (PRD) regulates the import, export and transhipment of arms, explosives and explosives precursors under the Arms and Explosives Act 1913.
“Arms” is defined as:
(a) Firearms, air-guns, air-pistols, stun guns, electronic dart guns, automatic guns, automatic pistols, guns or any other kind of gun from which any shot, bullet or other missiles can be discharged or noxious fumes or noxious substance can be emitted, and any component part of any such arms; and
(b) bayonets, swords, daggers, spears and spearheads.
“Explosives” is defined as:
(a) Gunpowder, nitro-glycerine, dynamite, gun-cotton, blasting powder, fulminate of mercury or of other metals, coloured fires and every other substance, whether similar to those abovementioned or not, used or manufactured with a view to produce a practical effect by explosion or a pyrotechnic effect;
(b) includes fog signals, fireworks, fuses, rockets, percussion-caps, detonators, cartridges and ammunition of all descriptions, and every adaptation of preparation of an explosive as above defined; and
(c) includes sand crackers, and any substance declared to be deemed an explosive by notification under section 10(1)(a) of the Arms and Explosives Act.
The definition of “explosive precursors” is defined as any substance specified in the Second Schedule of the Arms and Explosives Act.
Regulation of Imports and Exports Regulation
PRD also regulates the following items under Regulation of Imports and Exports Regulations:
Controlled Imports, Exports and Transhipment
(a) Articles of clothing intended as protection against attack, including bullet-proof vest
(b) Helmets intended as protection in military combat
(c) Toy or replica guns
(d) Toy or replica explosives, grenades, ammunitions or improvised explosive devices (IED)
(e) Handcuffs
Functions of GEWD of the PRD
The function of GEWD is to regulate the dealing in, manufacture, possession or control, storage, import, export and transhipment of arms, explosives and explosive precursors.
Types of Licences
GEWD issues two types of licences – long term (valid for a period of up to two years) and short term (valid for a period of 30 days).
Long Term Licences
- Licence to possess arms, explosives or explosive precursors
- Licence to deal in arms, explosives or explosive precursors
- Licence to manufacture arms, explosives or explosive precursors
- Licence to store arms, explosives or explosive precursors
- Licence to repair arms
Short Term Licences
- Licence to import arms, explosives or explosives precursors
- Licence to export arms, explosives or explosive precursors
- Licence to remove explosives
Offences
Under Section 13(1) of the Arms and Explosives Act 1913, no person shall, unless authorised thereto by licence, and in accordance with the conditions of the licence and such other conditions as may be prescribed:
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have in his possession or under his control any gun, arms, explosives, poisonous or noxious gas or noxious substance;
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import any gun, arms, explosives, poisonous or noxious gas or noxious substance;
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export any gun, arms, explosives, naval or military stores, poisonous or noxious gas or noxious substance; or
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manufacture or deal in guns, arms, explosives, poisonous or noxious gas or noxious substance.
Any person who, in contravention of this section:
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imports any gun, arms, explosives, poisonous or noxious gas or noxious substance;
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exports any gun, arms, explosives, naval or military stores, poisonous or noxious gas or noxious substance; or
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manufactures or deals in guns, arms, explosives, poisonous or noxious gas or noxious substance,
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shall be guilty of an offence and be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $10,000 and imprisonment for a term not exceeding 3 years.
Under Section 21A (1) of the Arms and Explosives Act 1913, no person shall, unless authorised thereto by licence, and in accordance with the conditions of the licence and such other conditions as may be prescribed, have in his possession or under his control, import, export, manufacture or deal in any explosive precursor.
Any person who contravenes subsection (1) shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction:
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in the case of a body corporate, to a fine not exceeding $100,000; and
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in any other case, to a fine not exceeding $50,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 2 years or to both.
TradeNet Requirements
When applying for a Customs permit, the declarant is required to upload the following supporting documents to TradeNet as part of the permit application:
- For import - Bill of Lading/ Air Waybill, invoice
- For export - Bill of Lading/ Air Waybill, invoice, End-User Certificate and Import Licence from the authorities of the final destination.
- For transhipment - Bill of Lading/Air Waybill, invoice, Import Licence or End-User Certificate from the Authorities of final destination.
- Valid Dealer Licence in arms, explosives and explosives precursors issued by GEWD.
In addition to the GEWD product codes, you are also required to declare the Dealer Licence Number issued by GEWD in the “Licence Number” field of your permit application.
The submission of supporting documents via fax or email is not accepted.
For HS codes controlled by GEWD, the Product Codes have to be declared with the Product Code Quantity and Unit, which should align with the declared HS Unit of Quantity.
The list of GEWD regulated Harmonised System Codes and Product Codes can be found here.
When you are importing, exporting or transhipping non-controlled goods which are classified under GEWD’s controlled HS codes, you shall declare the product code as “MISC” for these HS codes.
The permit application submitted for GEWD controlled items may be combined with the following types of HS codes:
- Non-controlled HS codes;
- GEWD controlled HS code declared with Product code “MISC”; and
- other CA controlled HS codes declared with Product code “MISC”.
In addition to the GEWD product codes, you are also required to declare the Dealer Licence Number issued by GEWD in the “Licence Number” field of your permit application.
If the Dealer Licence is for your company, you are required to specify the “Arms Dealer Licence” and/or “Explosive Dealer Licence” in the “Licence Number” field.
If you do not require a Dealer Licence, please specify “N.A.” in the “Licence Number” field and the “Name” and “NRIC/Passport Number” of the individual or name of company in the “General/Traders’ Remarks” field of your permit application.
On-line processing of Permit Applications
All permit applications containing GEWD controlled items will be routed to GEWD for online processing. To facilitate the processing of your permit applications, you are required to upload the relevant abovementioned documents together with your permit applications for submission via TradeNet.
GEWD will process all declarations in the order they are received in TradeNet and is unable to expedite processing upon a trader’s request. Traders are encouraged to submit their permit applications early (at least five working days before the intended import, export or transhipment date) to avoid delays in the permit approval.
After submitting the permit application, the declarant shall track and check the status of his/her permit application on TradeNet. Please do not contact GEWD to check on the status of application.
If the declarant receives queries from GEWD, he shall answer the queries promptly to avoid delay in the permit approval. Generally, GEWD will process all permit applications within five working days.
For the export of arms, explosives or explosive precursors, a customs permit must be obtained through TradeNet before the goods depart from Singapore. GEWD will not approve the permit application of any controlled goods that have departed Singapore. Investigation will be carried out against the exporter for all exportation cases of GEWD’s controlled goods that were conducted without prior approval and export licence.
Approval Messages
Once the import, export or transhipment permit application is approved, the importer or exporter is required to comply with all the requirements and conditions stated in the approval message(s).
Enquiries
For more information, please visit GEWD’s website. For further enquiries, you may contact GEWD through PRD’s Enquiry Form or at PRD’s hotline (6835 0000).