Search Warrant: The Issuance and Execution of It in Singapore

What is a Search Warrant and the Purpose of It?
A search warrant is a court order issued to the Commissioner of Police and to one or more other police officers, or any authorised person, for the purpose of searching premises and seizing property that may be connected to a criminal investigation in Singapore.
A search warrant may also be issued if the court has reason to believe that a person issued an order or a summons to produce a document or data would not do so, or if the owner in possession of the document or data is unknown.
Additionally, a search warrant may be issued to search for and rescue a person who may be wrongfully confined, such as in cases of kidnapping.
In general, a search warrant may be issued by the court if it considers a search or inspection will serve the purposes of justice.
A valid search warrant issued by the court must be in writing, bearing the seal of the court and signed by a Magistrate or Judge. The search warrant remains in force for the number of days specified in it, subject to conditions as laid down by the court.
What is the difference between a search warrant and a warrant of arrest?
A search warrant pertains to the search and/or seizure of things, goods, documents, property or persons, in the conduct of an investigation in connection to an offence.
On the other hand, a warrant of arrest pertains to the bringing of a person into police custody in connection to an offence that has been or is suspected to be committed.
What are the Powers Granted to a Person Authorised to Execute a Search Warrant?
A search warrant may allow either a general or specific search.
A general search warrant grants the executing officer broad discretion or authority to conduct a general search of an area and subsequently seize goods, property or documents found as part of the search.
On the other hand, a specific search warrant allows the executing officer to only search or inspect the area(s) specified (by the court) in the search warrant.
The following are some specific activities that a police officer or any person authorised to execute a search warrant may do, as provided under the Criminal Procedure Code (CPC):
- Enter the place specified under the search warrant with such assistance as required.
- Search the place in the manner specified in the warrant.
- Seize any goods, property or documents found in the place searched which are reasonably suspected to be stolen, unlawfully obtained, forged, false or counterfeit.
- Guard the seized goods on the spot until the offender is taken before the court.
- Convey the seized goods before the court.
- Dispose the seized goods in some place of safety.
- Take into custody and arrest any person found in the place who appears to have been privy to the deposit, sale, manufacture or storage of the seized goods.
What if the search warrant is issued to a person who is not a police officer?
In instances where the person authorised to conduct the search is not a police officer, the search warrant must include the following:
- A list or description of the documents or things, or class of things, that may be seized.
- Whether the authorised person may forcefully enter premises of the specified place to be searched if the person in charge of said place refuses to allow him to enter.
- The amount of bond that the person executing the search warrant must sign to ensure that the warrant is properly executed.
The search warrant may also include any other conditions as required to ensure the proper execution of the warrant and prevent any breach of peace.
Can a police officer search a place without a valid search warrant?
Yes, there are several instances where a lawful search may be conducted by a police officer without the need for a search warrant. Here are these instances:
- If the police officer has good grounds for believing that any stolen property will be removed from the premises by the time the search warrant is obtained.
- If during the investigation of an arrestable offence (e.g. theft), a police officer considers the thing to be searched necessary for the investigation and if:
- He has reason to believe that the person who has possession of the thing is unlikely to give access to it; or
- He has reason to believe that the thing to be searched is likely to be removed; or
- He does not know who has possession of the thing to be searched.
How Must a Valid Search be Conducted?
Under the CPC, a person granted a search warrant must conduct the search in accordance with the terms of the warrant. These terms include:
- Entry and search to be conducted during the period specified in the warrant.
- If the occupier of the place to be searched is present at the time of execution of the search, the person granted the warrant must identify himself to the occupier and show the occupier documentary evidence that he is a police officer or an authorised person. The occupier should also be shown the warrant and given a copy of it upon request.
- If search warrant is issued to a person who is not a police officer, the said authorised person must, after duly executing the warrant, report this fact to the court (i.e. that the authorised person is not a police officer) and submit a comprehensive list of all things seized, as mentioned above.
If the occupier of the place to be searched is not present at the time of the search, but some other person who appears to be in charge of the place is present, then the conditions stated above apply to that person as if he was the occupier.
Where a lawful search for stolen property is conducted without a warrant (as mentioned above), the police officer conducting the search must:
- List all of the articles found and alleged to have been stolen or missing; and
- Declare in writing that an offence has been committed and that the informant (the person who informed the officer of such stolen property) has good grounds for believing that the property is deposited in the place to be searched.
What Happens to the Property Seized After a Lawful Search?
During the search, the person authorised to conduct the search may seize, or prohibit the disposal of certain property, if the property:
- Has been involved in an offence suspected to have been committed.
- Is suspected to be used, or intended to be used, to commit an offence.
- Is suspected to constitute evidence of an offence.
The authorised person is required to prepare and sign a list of all things seized during the search, recording the location where each thing has been found. A copy of the list must be given to the occupier or person in charge of the place searched, who may also be present during the conduct of the search.
Afterwards, the court may take into legal custody any document or thing seized and produced before it.
At the conclusion of any inquiry or trial where the thing seized may be presented to the court as evidence, the court may make an order for the disposal of the thing. However, the relevant court must not dispose of it if it is still required for any other court proceedings or investigations.
Can a Search Warrant be Cancelled or Suspended?
Yes, the court issuing a search warrant may suspend or cancel the warrant if there are good reasons to do so. For example, if an illegal search is conducted. An illegal search can occur when the person conducting the search went beyond the terms of the search warrant.
What Happens If the Search is Found to be Unlawful?
Any thing or property seized under an unlawful search may not be used as evidence in an investigation or trial.
The aggrieved person (usually the one who owns or is in charge of the place being searched) may also make a police report for trespass or criminal force, or even commence a civil claim for damages.
—
If a search warrant is presented to you by an authorised person or a police officer, you are required by law to grant them entry into your premises and cooperate with the search, but make sure that you are first given proof of identity that the officer is authorised to conduct the search.
You should also request a copy of the search warrant and read the specifics of it.
In case the officer conducting the search prohibits you from observing how the search is being conducted, you should insist that your presence during the search be allowed so that you have first-hand observation on the conduct of the search in order to observe any irregularity (e.g. if the conduct of the search differs from what is specified in the warrant).
While you cannot bar the officers entry into your premises, it is strongly advised that you also contact a criminal lawyer to obtain legal advice on your situation as soon as possible.
- Singapore’s Extraterritorial Jurisdiction: What Does It Mean?
- Your Right to a Lawyer After Being Arrested in Singapore
- What to Do If Your Loved One is Under Police Investigation
- How to Write a Letter of Representation to AGC in Singapore
- What is Entrapment and is It Legal in Singapore?
- What Happens When You Voluntarily Surrender to the Police
- Juvenile Crime: What If Your Child is Arrested in Singapore?
- Tasers, Batons, Shields & Firearms: When Do the Police Use Them?
- Stopped by the Singapore Police For Spot Checks, Etc: What to Do
- What is the Appropriate Adult Scheme in Singapore?
- Police Investigation Process for Crimes in Singapore (4 Steps)
- Arrest Warrant Issued Against You in Singapore: What to Do
- Police Arrest Procedure in Singapore
- Arrestable and Non-Arrestable Offences in Singapore
- What Should You Do If You Witness a Crime in Singapore?
- Can the Public Make a Citizen's Arrest in Singapore?
- What to Do If You’re Being Investigated for a Criminal Offence in Singapore
- "Right to Remain Silent" to Singapore Police: Does It Exist?
- Police Custody in Singapore: What You Should Know
- Search Warrant: The Issuance and Execution of It in Singapore
- Penalties for Lying to the Authorities in Singapore
- Can You Say No to a Lie Detector Test in Singapore? And Other FAQs
- Surrender of Passport to the Police and How to Get It Back
- Extradition: What If I Flee After Committing Crime in Singapore
- Making Objections at Trial in the Singapore Courts
- When is a Witness Testimony Unreliable in Singapore?
- Burden of Proof in Criminal and Civil Cases in Singapore
- Falsely Accused of a Crime in Singapore: Your Next Steps
- What is Acquittal & How Can One Be Acquitted in Singapore?
- Using the Defence of Diminished Responsibility in Singapore
- Death of a Party in a Legal Case in Singapore: What Happens?
- The "Unusually Convincing" Test in "He Said, She Said" Cases
- How to Adjourn or Postpone a Criminal Court Hearing
- TIC: Guide to Charges Taken Into Consideration in Singapore
- Can I Use the Defence of Intoxication in Singapore?
- When Can I Raise the Defence of Provocation in Singapore?
- Writing Character References For Court: What’s Their Purpose?
- Giving False vs. Wrong Evidence: What’s the Difference?
- Can I Represent Myself in a Criminal Court Case in Singapore and How?
- Claiming Trial as an Accused
- Pleading Guilty in Singapore: Consequences & Withdrawal of Plea
- The Defence of Unsound Mind in Singapore: What is It?
- Gag Orders in Singapore: Whose Identity Can be Protected?
- Mitigation Plea: How to Plead for Leniency in Court in Singapore
- Recidivism: What Happens If You Reoffend in Singapore?
- Guide to Filing a Criminal Appeal in Singapore
- Criminal Motion: What is It and How to File One in Singapore
- Guide to Filing a Criminal Revision in Singapore
- Presidential Clemency in Singapore
- Repatriation or Deportation from Singapore: How Does It Work?
- Criminal Records in Singapore
- Visiting a Loved One in Prison or On Death Row in Singapore
- Getting Parole (Early Prison Release) in Singapore
- Fined for an Offence: What to Do If I Can't Afford to Pay Them?
- How Long Is Life Imprisonment in Singapore? And Other FAQs
- Corrective Training and Its Consequences in Singapore
- Consequences of Receiving a Stern Warning in Singapore
- Probation: Eligibility and Whether It Leaves a Criminal Record
- How Can Adult Offenders Get Probation in Singapore?
- Reformative Training in Singapore: When Will It be Ordered?
- Are You Eligible for a Mandatory Treatment Order (MTO)?
- Caning in Singapore: Judicial, School & Parental Corporal Punishment
- 7 Detention Orders in Singapore: When Will They be Ordered?
- Day Reporting Order: Eligibility and Offender's Obligations
- Ragging and Bullying: Their Penalties and What Victims Can Do
- Laws Protecting Informers/Whistleblowers in Singapore
- Counterfeit Medicine/Health Products: Redress for Victims in Singapore
- Breach of Protection Orders: What Can Victims Do?
- Using Your Right to Self-Defence When Attacked in Singapore
- Compensation for Crime Victims in Singapore: How to Obtain
- Rape Laws in Singapore and How Offenders Can Be Punished
- Sexual Misconduct in Singapore: Offences and What Victims Can Do
- Falsely Accused of Rape in Singapore: What to Do
- Incest and Family Sexual Abuse: Penalties and Victim Protection
- How are Sexual Offenders with Special Needs Penalised?
- Cybersexual Crimes in Singapore and Their Penalties
- Legal Age for Sex in Singapore and Common Sexual Offences
- Consent in Sexual Offences in Singapore and What Victims Can Do
- Accused of Molest: Outrage of Modesty in Singapore
- What Can Victims of Sexual Harassment in Singapore Do?
- What is the Law on Sexting in Singapore?
- Revenge Porn: What If Your Nudes are Leaked in Singapore?
- Crime of Voyeurism in Singapore (Penalties and Defences)
- Date Rape: What to Do If Your Drink Has Been Unlawfully Spiked?
- STDs: Can I Go to the Police If a Partner Infected Me in Singapore?
- Alcohol Breathalyser Test in Singapore: Can You Refuse it?
- Are Sex Toys and Sex Dolls Legal in Singapore?
- Singapore's Legal Smoking Age & Common Smoking Offences
- Is Vaping Illegal in Singapore?
- Legal Drinking Age and Drinking-Related Laws in Singapore
- Is Watching, Downloading or Filming Porn Illegal in Singapore?
- Child Pornography in Singapore: Offences and Penalties
- Laws on Procuring Sex Workers & Sexual Services in Singapore
- Singapore's Drug Laws: Possession, Consumption and Trafficking
- Gambling Legally (at Home, in Public or Online) in Singapore
- The Offence of Human Trafficking in Singapore and Its Penalties
- Penalties For Buying Stolen Goods in Singapore
- Penalties for Committing Theft in Singapore
- Committing Robbery in Singapore: What are the Penalties?
- Penalties for Dishonest Misappropriation of Property in Singapore
- Vandalism Laws: Penalties for Damaging Property in Singapore
- Criminal Trespass in Singapore: What Happens If You’re Caught?
- Penalties for Littering Offences in Singapore
- What is a POFMA Correction Direction and How to Appeal
- Penalties for Cheating/Scamming and What Victims Can Do
- Penalties for Impersonating Someone and Victim Redress
- Singapore Fake News Laws: Guide to POFMA (Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act)
- Laws and Penalties for Doxxing in Singapore (With Examples)
- Tax Evasion in Singapore: Penalties and Examples
- Criminal Breach of Trust (CBT) in Singapore: What is It?
- All You Need to Know About Corruption in Singapore
- Anti-Money Laundering Laws and You
- 5 Things You Need to Know about Insider Trading
- Dishonest Assistance and Knowing Receipt: The Case of David Rasif
- Charged with a Traffic Offence in Singapore: What to Do
- DUI: Here are the Penalties for Drink-Driving in Singapore
- What Happens If You’re Caught Speeding in Singapore?
- Road Rage: What is It and How are Offenders Sentenced in Singapore
- Penalties for Dangerous Driving for Singapore Drivers
- Fatal Traffic Accidents: Are Drivers Always Punished?
- Guide to E-Scooter and PMD Laws for Singapore Riders
- Is it Legal for Drivers to Carpool in Singapore?
- Radicalisation and Terror Attack-Related Penalties in Singapore
- Causing a Public Nuisance in Singapore: What are the Penalties?
- Causing Public Alarm in Singapore: Examples & Penalties
- Public Assemblies and Processions in Singapore
- Misbehaving in Public: 5 Things You Need to Know
- Racial Enmity: Sections 298 and 298A Penal Code Explained
- Religious Cults in Singapore: Are they Illegal? Penalties & More
- Penalties for Financing Terrorist Operations in Singapore
- Penalties for Abetting Minors or Committing Crimes Against Them
- Misusing the Singapore Flag and Other National Symbols
- Here are the Penalties for Committing Forgery in Singapore
- Arson and Fire-Related Offences and Their Penalties in Singapore
- Offences Against the Dead and What Family Members Can Do
- Laws on Prohibited, Replica and Self-Defence Weapons
- Laws to Tackle High-Rise Littering in Singapore
- Penalties for Attempting to Commit a Crime in Singapore
- Penalties for Assaulting a Person in Singapore
- Expats Charged With Offences in Singapore: What to Expect
- What are the Penalties for Hiring Phantom Workers in Singapore?
- What Are Ponzi Schemes? Are They Illegal in Singapore?
- Modification of Cars, Motorcycles, Etc: Is It Legal in Singapore?
- Penalties for Illegal Immigration and Overstaying in Singapore
- Criminal Intimidation: Penalties for Making Threats in Singapore