History
The Customs Department was founded when Singapore was the British Empire's Straits Settlements and later Crown Colony. Established in 1910 under the name Government Monopolies Department, Customs is one of the oldest tax-collecting organisations in modern Singapore to increase the country's state coffers to help fund national programmes. Revenue collection began in December 1909 when the first import duty was imposed on hard liquors. In 1916, the tariff was extended to include tobacco and cigarettes. The collection of duty on petroleum was introduced in 1934. Motor vehicles are also subject to tax and excise duties. Effective 1 January 2012, compressed natural gas (CNG) for motor vehicles is subject to tax and excise duty.
The department has gone through many transitions, mergers, and re-organizations in the last century under the government of Singapore. The department's responsibilities in securing Singapore's future are affected by worldwide globalization, market forces and changes in laws, tariffs, trading and traveling trends.
On 1 April 2003, the department was re-constituted as Singapore Customs - a government agency transferred to the Ministry of Finance of Singapore - providing essential services for revenue collection and enforcement, trade documentation, trade facilitation, and security functions as Singapore’s single authority on customs and trade regulatory matters. [2]
On 15 November 2019, the new Customs Operations Command building was officially opened at Bulim Drive off Jalan Bahar in Jurong West. This will allow for intelligence, investigation and compliance-related functions to come under the command. [3]
On 1 January 2025, Singapore Customs unveiled a refreshed logo. [4]
Organisational structure
Singapore Customs is headed by a Director-General, who is supported by a Deputy Director-General, four Senior Assistant Directors-General, three Assistant Directors-General, two Directors (Data Division and Networked Trade Platform Office), a Chief Human Resource Officer and a Chief Information Technology Officer. [5]
The functions of Singapore Customs are carried out by the following divisions and directorates:
- Checkpoints Division
- Compliance Division
- Data Division
- Human Resource Directorate
- Information Technology Directorate
- Intelligence & Investigation Division
- Ops-Tech & Management Division
- Planning, Communication & International Division
- Trade Division
Each branch within a division is typically headed by a Chief Superintendent of Customs or the non-uniformed equivalent.
The Internal Audit Branch reports directly to the Director-General of Customs. [6]
Senior Management| Appointment | Rank | Abbreviation | Name |
|---|
| Director-General (Customs) | Director-General | DG | Tan Hung Hooi |
| Deputy Director-General (Policy & Facilitation) | Deputy Director-General | DDG (P&F) | Lim Teck Leong |
| Chief Human Resource Officer | Senior Assistant Director-General | CHRO | Karen Lim Shu Wen |
| Senior Assistant Director-General (Checkpoints) | Senior Assistant Director-General | SADG (CP) | Sung Pik Wan |
| Senior Assistant Director-General (Compliance) | Senior Assistant Director-General | SADG (C) | Winston Tay Wee Hua |
| Senior Assistant Director-General (Ops-Tech & Management) | Senior Assistant Director-General | SADG (OTM) | Teh Thiam Siong |
| Senior Assistant Director-General (Intelligence & Investigation) | Senior Assistant Director-General | SADG (I&I) | Lee Boon Chong |
| Assistant Director-General (Trade) | Assistant Director-General | ADG (T) | Raine Ng |
| Assistant Director-General (Planning, Communication & International) | Assistant Director-General | ADG (PCI) | Teo Angie |
| Assistant Director-General (Intelligence & Investigation) | Assistant Director-General | ADG (I&I) | Goh Hoon Lip |
| Chief Information Officer | N.A. | CIO | Cheryl Sim Hwee Leng |
| Director, Data Division | N.A. | D(Data) | Chong Soo Yuen |
| Director, Networked Trade Platform Office | N.A. | D(NTPO) | Choo Wai Yee |
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