According to the facts of the case, Abdul Jalil Sulaiman, 47, had failed to account for the cash he brought into Singapore, saying only that he was transporting on the instructions of one Mohd Salim, who could not be located or contacted.
He pleaded guilty to 30 counts of failing to give a full and accurate report on the cross-border movements of cash into Singapore.
According to the report, his case was the largest sum ever involved in a case prosecuted under Section 48C of the Corruption, Drug Trafficking and Other Serious Crimes (Confiscation of Benefits Act) (CDSA).
Jalil is accused of having brought in the money, beginning from September 2013 to April 2014. He is accused of bringing cash exceeding the limit of S$30,000 (RM89,000) each time he crossed the border.
Singapore authorities said that as much as RM150,000 in cash was found hidden under his motorcycle seat on one occasion.
The court was told that the cash was then seized and his case was then transferred to the commercial affairs department.
Jalil was believed to have told investigators that he knew Salim, who gave him the money to be transported, since 2010. He claimed Salim owned up to five money-changing outlets in Malaysia.
The investigations also revealed that Salim had told Jalil to give the money to strangers in Singapore.
Asked about his own commission for being a “cash mule”, Jalil told investigators that he was paid RM200 for every RM100,000 he moved across the border.
Despite his plea that he was not aware of the gravity of the crimes he had committed, the judge ruled that Jalil was not altogether ignorant and knew that it was not right to make such cash transfers.
Based on Section 48(C) of the CDSA, Jalil had faced jail of up to three years and or a fine of S$50,000 on each count.