A Malaysian couple travelling to Singapore for a holiday were stopped at the Johor Bahru checkpoint after the male driver reportedly aroused suspicion, leading officers to discover nearly S$918,000 in cash hidden inside their vehicle.
The 41-year-old man and 42-year-old woman, who were described as entrepreneurs, were detained by the Malaysian Border Control and Protection Agency (MCBA) on Oct 27.
According to a report by New Straits Times, the incident took place at Bangunan Sultan Iskandar (BSI), the main land checkpoint in Johor Bahru that connects to Singapore via the Causeway.
Cash Stashed In Boxes And Bags
Officers decided to inspect the couple’s Toyota Alphard after the driver’s behaviour reportedly raised suspicions.
During the inspection, the driver was instructed to open the vehicle’s luggage compartment and passenger seating area.
A search by three officers subsequently uncovered a substantial amount of cash concealed in several containers and bags inside the vehicle.
The seized money comprised RM1,971,697 in Malaysian ringgit, equivalent to approximately S$618,000, and another S$300,000 in Singapore dollars.
The cash was reportedly packed into three boxes, a paper bag and a black backpack.
Combined, the two currencies amounted to approximately S$918,000, making it a sizeable sum to be transported across the border.
Couple Said They Were Going On Holiday
When questioned, the couple reportedly told officers that they were travelling to Singapore for a holiday.
However, the discovery of the undeclared cash led to further action by the authorities.
The couple, their vehicle and the seized money were handed over to the Customs Department for further investigation.
Authorities have not disclosed the source of the money or what the couple intended to do with the funds in Singapore.
It is also unclear whether the couple had attempted to conceal the cash specifically to avoid declaration requirements or whether other circumstances were involved. Investigations are ongoing.
Travellers Must Declare Large Amounts Of Cash
The case serves as a reminder for people travelling between Malaysia and Singapore to understand the rules governing the cross-border movement of cash.
Under Malaysia’s reporting requirements, travellers bringing cash and other relevant bearer negotiable instruments exceeding US$10,000 in value into or out of the country must make the required declaration to the authorities.
The threshold is equivalent to approximately RM40,826 or S$12,820 based on the figures cited in the original report.
Travellers carrying large sums of money should check the applicable customs declaration procedures before their journey to avoid potential complications at immigration checkpoints.
With Singapore and Johor Bahru connected by one of the region’s busiest land crossings, border authorities regularly conduct inspections to detect undeclared items and potential customs offences.
In this case, a routine vehicle inspection prompted by suspicious behaviour resulted in the discovery of almost S$1 million in cash, with the investigation now in the hands of the relevant authorities.