Former Certis Officer Jailed 17 Months for Facilitating Cigarette Smuggling and Accepting Multiple Bribes

Muhammad Haaziq Karudin sentenced to 17 months for accepting bribes to facilitate 26 smuggling runs. Full details on the Singapore court ruling.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 22, 2026, 8:48 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from The Straits Times

Judicial Sanctions for Breach of Security Trust

The State Courts of Singapore delivered a 17 month prison sentence on April 22 to a 34 year old former Certis security officer who compromised national border integrity for personal gain. Muhammad Haaziq Karudin was convicted after admitting to his involvement in a syndicate that bypassed essential security checks at Jurong Port. In addition to the custodial sentence, the court imposed a penalty of $1,572, a sum exactly matching the total amount of illicit payments he collected during his tenure.

The Genesis of a Corrupt Port Partnership

The path to criminality began in late 2020 through a professional acquaintance between Haaziq and Muhammad Sukaimi Gasali, a crane operator. By mid-2022, this relationship transitioned into a criminal conspiracy when Sukaimi approached Haaziq with a plan to traffic contraband cigarettes. The arrangement required Haaziq to deliberately neglect his enforcement duties, effectively granting Sukaimi a "blind spot" at the port’s inspection lanes in exchange for recurring financial rewards delivered via digital payment platforms.

Systematic Failure of Inspection Protocols

Between August and November 2022, the defendant actively facilitated 26 separate smuggling operations, according to details provided by Deputy Public Prosecutor Mohamed Riasudeen. The mechanics of the graft involved Haaziq performing purely superficial vehicle inspections, ensuring that Sukaimi could exit the port with illicit cargo undetected. For each successful breach of security, Haaziq received payments ranging from $50 to $100, illustrating a transactional approach to his official responsibilities as a contracted security agent for the state.