What Happens During Police Raids, Drug Raids, etc. in Singapore?

Last updated on June 20, 2025

In Singapore, law enforcement raids — whether conducted by the police, the Central Narcotics Bureau, or other government agencies — are serious operations aimed at curbing criminal activities such as drug offences, illegal gambling, or vice-related crimes. These raids are often sudden and can appear alarming to those involved or near the vicinity of the raids. However, behind the scenes, they are tightly regulated by legal frameworks designed to ensure due process, uphold individual rights, and maintain public safety.

This article covers the following topics:

What is a Raid?

There is no legal definition for what a raid is under Singapore law. However, raids are commonly understood to refer to sudden, unannounced, and forceful entry into a place by law enforcement authorities to search for evidence, criminals, or illegal activities. Raids are often carried out in relation to illegal activities such as:

Drug-related offences: For example, in January 2025, the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) carried out two drug raids in the early hours of the morning, forcing their way into the residential units of two individuals who were suspected to have committed drug-related offences. During the raids, the suspects were arrested, and the CNB officers seized various narcotics, drug-related equipment as well as utensils and cash from the suspects’ residences.
Immigration-related offences: The authorities regularly conduct checks and raids at public entertainment outlets, massage parlours and hotels to clamp down on illicit activities at such locations, including offences under the Immigration Act. Such offences include overstaying, illegal entry into Singapore, possessing forged immigration documents or harbouring immigration offenders. For example, in November 2024, as part of a multi-agency effort, authorities, including officers from the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA), conducted a midnight raid at a Thai disco and another nightclub. Several individuals were arrested for offences under the Immigration Act.
Employment-related offences: In August 2024, the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) conducted a raid at various residential units, arresting several individuals for their suspected involvement in illegal employment and falsification of work pass applications. Among those arrested were migrant domestic workers who allegedly worked as illegal household cleaners for other employers without valid work passes for the job, and individuals who abetted the illegal employment of the workers by applying for work passes for the migrants, then releasing them to find other work.
Financial crime-related offences: In August 2023, the police conducted a large-scale, island-wide raid as part of an anti-money laundering operation. 10 foreign nationals were arrested and charged with, among other things, money laundering offences. During the raids, the police also seized cash, cars, luxury bags and watches, jewellery, and other items connected with the offences.
Other offences: In March 2025, the police conducted a raid on a Good Class Bungalow (GCB) in the wee hours of the morning. The GCB was rented out to a Chinese national, who lived in the property. The tenant worked with a third party to operate an illegal private gambling den at the property, hosting regular games and receiving a commission. Several individuals were arrested for various offences under the Gambling Control Act 2022. Chips in place of cash, mobile phones, and other gambling-related paraphernalia were also seized from the property.

As shown in the examples above, raids are often conducted by multiple agencies, as different types of offences are often uncovered during the same raid, necessitating different agencies to be present at the scene. For example, if drug-related offences are suspected, the CNB and Health Sciences Authority (HSA) will typically be involved. If there are fire safety regulations suspected of being breached, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) will be involved.

Examples of agencies in Singapore that are legally empowered to conduct raids are:

Singapore Police Force (SPF)
CNB
HSA
ICA
SCDF
MOM
Singapore Customs
Land Transport Authority (LTA)
Housing Board
Singapore Food Agency

Why, and When, are Raids Carried Out in Singapore?

Raids are carried out in order to catch criminals red-handed, while illegal activities are still ongoing, and evidence is available to be seized and secured. They can be carried out with or without a search warrant.

Search warrants are court orders issued to the Commissioner of Police and one or more other police officers, or any authorised person, allowing them to search premises and seize property that may be connected to a criminal investigation in Singapore.

Carrying out raids when a search warrant is issued

Generally speaking, a search warrant is required for a raid to be conducted, unless the legislation contains specific exceptions. There are various pieces of Singapore legislation that explicitly provide for the carrying out of raids. For example:

Criminal Procedure Code (CPC): The main piece of legislation governing the carrying out of raids is the CPC. Section 24 to 40 of the CPC set out when searches and seizures can be conducted for criminal offences generally. For example, under section 29 of the CPC, a raid can be conducted in accordance with a search warrant granted by the court. Under section 24 of the CPC, the court may issue a warrant if:
- The court has reason to believe that someone who has been or may be issued an order to produce a document or thing would not produce that document or thing;
- It is not known who possesses that document or thing; or
- The court considers that a general or specific search will serve the purposes of justice or of any investigation. A general search is where the police officer can perform a search of the premises and seize property as he/she sees fit, whereas a specific search only allows the officer to search and/or seize items from areas specified by the court (e.g. a specific room in the place).
Misuse of Drugs Act (MDA): Section 24 of the MDA is the relevant section providing for powers of search and seizure for drug-related offences. Under the section, any officer of the CNB, police, or senior officer of customers may:
- Without a warrant, enter and search any place in which he/she reasonably suspects to find any controlled drug, controlled substance or psychoactive substance, or any person who has committed an offence under the MDA;
- Search any person found in that place; and
- Seize and detail the drug or substance, or any article liable to seizure (e.g. drug-related instruments or utensils).
Customs Act: Sections 101 to 111 of the Customs Act provide for the powers of search and seizure for customs-related offences. For example, under section 103 of the Customs Act, a senior officer of customs may enter a place, search for and seize goods even without a warrant if he/she:
- Considers that there is reasonable cause to believe the place contains goods that are in breach of customs regulations, such as goods on which applicable duties have not been paid; and
- Has reasonable grounds to believe that the goods are likely to be removed if there is any delay.

The officer may also arrest any person at the place suspected to have concealed the goods.

Immigration Act: Under section 51 of the Immigration Act, any immigration officer or other authorised officers may, without a warrant, enter and search any premises and stop any vehicle, if he/she has reason to believe that any evidence of the commission of an offence under the Immigration Act is likely to be found. The officer may also seize the evidence found.

Carrying out raids without a search warrant

As mentioned above, the relevant legislation may contain specific exceptions whereby a raid can be conducted even without a search warrant.

For example, under the CPC, there are two exceptions whereby a search warrant is not needed:

Under section 32 of the CPC, if the police reasonably suspect that stolen property is hidden in a place and have good grounds to believe that the property may be removed if there is any delay, the police may search the place for the stolen property without a search warrant.
Under section 34 of the CPC, when investigating an arrestable offence, the police may search a place without a search warrant for documents or things which the police consider to be necessary for their investigation. They can do so if they have reason to believe that the documents or things will not be produced voluntarily and may be removed, or if they do not know who exactly has the documents or things.

Using the examples of other legislation above, the MDA, Customs Act and Immigration Act also empower officers to carry out raids without a search warrant under certain circumstances. Generally speaking, the common thread running across situations in which search warrants are not required is where there is an element of urgency involved. For example, this might involve situations where there is a reasonable suspicion that, if there are any delays in searching the property in the process of obtaining a search warrant, the evidence of the crime may be lost or destroyed.

For more information on the issuance and execution of search warrants in Singapore, you can read our other article on the topic.

What Happens During a Raid?

A raid typically involves the following series of events:

Officers from the relevant authorities will typically forcibly enter the place in order to catch the occupants off guard. They can do so by either opening the door to the place by force with house-breaking tools, or by ringing the doorbell and rushing into the room when the occupants answer the door.
A few of the officers will then secure the place, by blocking off all the exits, so as to prevent any occupants from attempting to flee the place. This typically also involves restoring the place to its default setting, to ensure visibility of the entire place and to better manage the place. For example, if the place raided is a nightclub, the music will be shut off and lights turned on.
Concurrently, other officers will round up the occupants, and proceed to perform their checks on the occupants. These checks involve checking the identity documents of the occupants, including whether they have valid work passes etc. Officers may also check for whether the occupants have outstanding arrest warrants, or prior criminal convictions, including prior drug convictions. Officers may also record statements and search the occupants’ belongings. The officers will arrest the occupants if necessary to do so.
At the same time, yet another group of officers will search the premises, looking for documents or things that they conducted the raid to find, or in general, looking for evidence of illegal activities, like drugs or items involved in gambling. The officers will seize the items if necessary to do so. To maintain the integrity of the evidence, there is usually a protocol that will be followed, such as properly documenting the evidence and the evidence collection process, and using tamper-proof evidence bags to secure the evidence. For raids involving drug-related offences, due to the nature of the evidence to be secured, officers may take additional precautions, such as:
- Wearing gloves or facial masks during searches and handling of drug exhibits;
- Avoiding sneezing or coughing at the scene;
- Using the relevant equipment to screen suspicious exhibits for controlled substances; and
- Conducting saliva or urine tests on occupants.
After the occupants who have to be arrested are arrested and evidence has been seized, the officers will withdraw from the place. This marks the end of the raid.

During the raid, officers are legally permitted to:

Enter the place to be raided;
Search the place;
Seize evidence;
Detain or arrest individuals;
Search computers which the officers have reasonable cause to suspect are or have been used in connection with an arrestable offence, or contain evidence relating to the same.

What are Your Legal Rights During a Raid?

If your business premises/residential address is subject to a raid, you are legally entitled to, and should exercise the following legal rights:

You have the right to ask for the identification of the officers and the purpose of their entry. Officers must identify themselves to you, and show documentary proof of their identities. Such documentary proof includes the officer’s identity card (for non-police officers) or documentary evidence that he/she is a police officer (for police officers).
You can also ask for the officers to show you the search warrant, if they are conducting a raid with a search warrant. A copy of the search warrant must also be provided to you if you request for it.
If, after reviewing the search warrant, you are unclear about the legal basis for the raid, and the scope of the searches to be conducted, you can contact your lawyer, who will be able to advise you on your legal rights and obligations immediately. Your lawyers can also help to oversee the process to ensure that the raid is being conducted within the scope of the search warrant.

However, do note that, in general, you and the other occupants of the place being raided must comply with officers’ instructions during the raid. It is an offence for any person to obstruct the lawful exercise of a police officer of the powers of search and seizure. Individuals are liable upon conviction to a maximum fine of $5,000, a maximum imprisonment term of 6 months, or both.

What Will Happen If I Tip Others Off About a Raid?

If you tip others off about a raid, you may also be liable for committing the offence of obstructing a police officer’s powers to search and seize.

For example, in 2022, a nightclub bouncer was sentenced to 17 weeks’ jail and fined S$3,000 for offences including obstructing the course of justice. While he was being investigated for other offences, the police discovered that he was part of a network of nightclub employees who used chat groups to tip each other off about police raids at their respective nightclubs. The employees would disseminate information ranging from locations of raids, sizes of raiding teams, police vehicle licence plate numbers to even the identities of the officers. The information was shared so that the other employees could take steps to prevent the detection of offences at their own workplaces.

What Can I Expect After a Raid?

After a raid, depending on the offences identified during the raid, the police may arrest those suspected of being involved in the commission of the offences. The Public Prosecutor will then decide whether to file formal charges against the suspects.

Where property has been seized in connection with the suspected offences, such property typically will be confiscated, logged and retained as evidence in the case. However, what happens to them after the investigations are completed will differ depending on the nature of the items:

If the items are found to be illegal, such as controlled drugs, unlicensed weapons, or counterfeit goods, they may be permanently confiscated and destroyed to prevent them from being re-circulated.
If the items are found not to be directly linked to a crime, they may be returned to the owner after investigations are concluded, provided there is no legal reason to retain them.
If the items were seized by the police from an account or a safe deposit box in a financial institution (e.g. bank), the owner may apply to the court for the property to be released. The court will do so if it is satisfied that any one of the below conditions are met:
- The release of the property is necessary for the payment of basic expenses, including any payment for foodstuff, rent, the discharge of a mortgage, medicine, medical treatment, taxes, insurance premiums and public utility charges.
- The release is necessary exclusively for the payment of legal fees or the maintenance of the property which the owner has been ordered not to sell or otherwise deal with.
- The release is necessary for the payment of any extraordinary expenses (e.g. unanticipated hefty medical expenses).
- The property is the subject of an existing judgment, in which the property may be used to satisfy the judgment.
- If the owner is a company incorporated in Singapore, and such release is necessary for the day-to-day operations of the company.

An additional point to note is that for property seized in connection with criminal activities like money laundering, the authorities can apply to the court for an order to sell the seized properties. This allows law enforcement agencies to cut back on the cost of maintaining those properties and preserve the value of the properties to enhance subsequent asset recovery and compensation to victims.

For example, as part of the anti-money laundering operation in August 2023, the police seized assets of about S$3 billion in value. The maintenance of these assets cost the police over S$600,000 in the 2023 financial year. The fees cover expenses incurred for the storage, maintenance and safeguarding of the seized assets, including engaging specialised services from industry partners or service providers to oversee the handling, upkeep and value preservation of the assets. Some of the seized items, like the “thousands” of bottles of liquor and wine, as well as ornaments like Bearbrick figures and branded bags, had to be stored appropriately to maintain their condition, while the vehicles would have to be serviced.

Do I Have Any Legal Recourse If I Suspect Improper Conduct or Excessive Force Used During a Raid?

During a raid, the conduct of officers is also governed by the law, which includes how much force they can use while carrying out the raid. Generally, the law empowers police officers to use force to contain situations where there is danger to life, including to protect themselves. However, they must only use force in a manner that is proportional to the perceived threat.

For example, if the other person is unarmed, it would not be proportional for the police officer to use his/her firearm. The CPC also provides that when arresting someone, police officers must not restrain the person more than is necessary to prevent him/her from escaping.

If you believe that law enforcement officers used excessive force or acted improperly during a raid, e.g. using physical violence when interrogating the occupants, drawing their firearms to threaten unarmed occupants into complying with instructions, or refusing to identify themselves, you have several avenues for legal recourse.

The SPF has an Internal Affairs Office (IAO), an independent unit tasked with investigating serious disciplinary and criminal cases involving SPF officers. The IAO is responsible for ensuring high investigation standards and upholding public trust through impartial assessments of complaints. To file a complaint, you can contact the IAO directly.

However, if the IAO decides not to pursue an internal investigation, or you are dissatisfied with the internal investigation process, you may seek legal advice to explore further legal options, such as filing a civil claim for damages or seeking judicial review if there are grounds to challenge the legality of the actions taken. It is advisable to consult with a legal professional to understand the best course of action based on the specifics of your case.

—

In conclusion, the police and other agencies are empowered to carry out raids in Singapore, which by nature, are sudden and unexpected. If you do find yourself in the middle of a raid, you should be aware of your basic legal rights, such as knowing the identities of the officers conducting the raid and the purpose of the raid, and the scope of the searches to be conducted. You also have the right to contact a lawyer to advise you on your rights and obligations.

In this regard, you can seek further guidance or advice from a criminal lawyer, who will be best placed to advise you on what to do and what not to do during the raid itself, and to assist you with any investigations after the raid.

However, if you are considering pursuing civil remedies instead, you can contact a civil lawyer, who will be able to go through your case and specific circumstances and advise you on the merits of your claims. The civil lawyer will also be able to represent you if you do decide to proceed with your civil claim against the relevant authorities.