A 32-year-old Indonesian man is set to be charged after allegedly attempting to pass through security screening at Changi Airport with a knife concealed inside his shoe.
The incident happened at Terminal 4 on Thursday (27 August), when the man was undergoing security screening before his flight.
According to the Singapore Police Force (SPF), an aviation security officer spotted a suspicious object during an X-ray scan of the man’s footwear.
The discovery led to a further search, where officers allegedly found a sizeable knife concealed inside the shoe.
Security officer spots suspicious object during X-ray screening
The man was at the Centralised Security Screening Area in the Terminal 4 departure hall when he was instructed to remove his high-cut shoes before proceeding through the screening process.
His footwear was then placed through an X-ray machine.
A Certis Cisco aviation security officer monitoring the scan noticed what appeared to be a sharp object inside his right shoe.
The man was subsequently escorted to a search room for further checks.
During the search, officers found a knife measuring 19.5cm in total length, with a 12cm blade, along with a sheath.
Knife allegedly wrapped and concealed inside sock
The knife and sheath were reportedly concealed inside a sock.
The items had also allegedly been wrapped in multiple layers of plastic bags before being sealed with tape, according to police.
The police were alerted at around 1.10pm after the discovery.
Authorities have not disclosed why the man allegedly had the knife in his footwear or what he intended to do with it.
He was subsequently arrested and is expected to appear in court on Saturday (29 August).
Man faces potential jail term and caning
The man will be charged with carrying an offensive weapon in a public place.
Under Section 6(1) of the Corrosive and Explosive Substances and Offensive Weapons Act 1958, a person convicted of the offence can face a jail term of up to three years and at least six strokes of the cane.
The case also highlights the importance of airport security screening, which is designed to detect prohibited or dangerous items before passengers proceed towards boarding areas.
SPF said it takes a serious view of attempts to bring offensive weapons into public places.
The police also reminded members of the public that people found carrying such items without a lawful purpose will be dealt with firmly under Singapore law.
As court proceedings are pending, the allegations against the man have not been tested in court. He is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.