Jail for man who bribed 4 Certis officers with over $9k in cigarette smuggling operation
Shaffiq Alkhatib
The Straits Times
Feb 3, 2026
In multiple transactions made over three years or so, a crane operator at Jurong Port gave bribes totalling more than $9,000 to four Certis security officers in the course of his cigarette smuggling operation.
Court documents stated that Muhammad Sukaimi Gasali orchestrated one of the most systematic and extensive corruption schemes targeting Singapore's border security in recent years.
"The accused methodically cultivated relationships with (the officers) before leveraging on this relationship and exploiting their personal vulnerabilities to transform them from guardians of the land borders into willing accomplices," Deputy Public Prosecutor Mohamed Riasudeen said on Feb 2.
"The accused corrupted the very individuals entrusted with preventing exactly the type of smuggling he was orchestrating."
On Feb 2, Sukaimi, 34, was sentenced to four years and seven months' jail, and a fine of $5,000.
He had pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including three counts of corruption.
On Feb 2, the court also sentenced former Certis officer Sri Daniah Abdul Razak, 26, to two years and two weeks' jail, and a fine of $1,700.
She was also ordered to pay a penalty of $3,580 after she pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including one count of corruption.
Two other former officers – Mohamad Aziffi Selamat, then 32, and Muhammad Khairul Amir Suhaimi, then 25 – were dealt with in court in 2025.
The case involving a fourth former officer, Muhammad Haaziq Karudin, 34, is pending.
The DPP said the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) had earlier contracted Certis to supply security officers to Jurong Port and Tuas Checkpoint.
These officers' tasks included taking enforcement action against people attempting to smuggle contraband items into Singapore.
They were also required to conduct thorough checks on individuals and vehicles passing through the port and checkpoint.
Haaziq was conducting routine checks at the port in late 2020 when he got to know Sukaimi, and the pair became friends.
Around early 2021, Haaziq sent his motorcycle for repairs and Sukaimi, who was then working for a company called GL Crane, helped him pay the bill.
Following this, Haaziq started borrowing money from him on multiple occasions, the court heard.
The DPP said: "Around July 2022, (Sukaimi) approached Haaziq to tell him that he intended to bring contraband cigarettes from the port and asked Haaziq to 'close one eye' whenever (Sukaimi) passed through Haaziq's lane.
"Haaziq understood this to mean that if he discovered any contraband cigarettes in (Sukaimi's) vehicle, he would not take any enforcement action against him."
According to court documents, Haaziq later allowed Sukaimi to pass through his lane without conducting a proper search.
The DPP said that on 26 occasions between August and November 2022, Sukaimi gave bribes totalling more than $1,500 to Haaziq.
Daniah, who was then working at the port, got to know Sukaimi through Haaziq in 2022.
The DPP said: "Haaziq informed (her) that Sukaimi was requesting her favour to conduct a cursory inspection on his vehicle whenever Sukaimi passed through (her) lane.
"Haaziq explained that Sukaimi would provide (a) monetary reward for this favour, and mentioned that he was similarly doing Sukaimi a favour and receiving payment in return."
Daniah agreed to be part of the arrangement, and Sukaimi later contacted the woman via WhatsApp, telling her that she would be paid up to $150 for each trip involving her help in his smuggling operation.
On 20 occasions, between November 2022 and July 2023, she received bribes totalling nearly $1,400 from him.
Daniah was transferred to Tuas Checkpoint in July 2023.
Several months later, Sukaimi contacted her to ask if she could conduct only cursory checks on vehicles linked to him when they reached the checkpoint.
Sukaimi then engaged drivers to transport cigarettes from Malaysia to Singapore.
Since Daniah was not always at the car lane, she agreed to provide him with information about the ICA team schedules that would help reduce the risk of detection.
This involved her assessing which ICA teams were "more lenient" in their vehicle checks before providing Sukaimi with the dates when these teams would be on duty.
Sukaimi would then coordinate with his drivers based on such information. He also provided them with Daniah's number.
Between February and April 2024, she provided him with confidential information linked to ICA and received more than $2,000 in bribes on 12 occasions.
Separately, Sukaimi also gave bribes to Aziffi and Khairul while the pair worked at Jurong Port.
On April 19, 2024, Sukaimi's Malaysian driver, known only as Hafiz, drove a car from Malaysia to Singapore and ICA officers stopped it at Tuas Checkpoint for an inspection.
The officers discovered 22 cartons and 470 packets of contraband cigarettes hidden in places including underneath the rear passenger seat.
Investigations later revealed that Hafiz had been communicating with Daniah through WhatsApp on a few earlier occasions when he was entering Singapore with contraband cigarettes.
These conversations helped him determine "safer times" to enter Singapore.
But the illegal smuggling operation came to light soon after.
Daniah and Sukaimi were arrested in July 2024. Aziffi, Khairul, Haaziq and the pair were later charged in court in 2025.
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