Despite the immigration regulations stating that , the two agreed not to do so.

Vinna was tasked with carrying all 45 notes into Singapore.

Source: Monetary Authority of Singapore

Banks discovered truth after attempted deposit

Once here, she began approaching banks near Changi Airport to exchange the notes. Following a friend’s advice, she consulted with UOB and OCBC in Tampines.

Bank staff explained that the notes would need to be sent to the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) for verification and could only be processed with a bank account.

To push the plan forward, Vinna lied to the bank staff, claiming the notes were from her father.

She quickly sought a friend’s help, and the two went to another bank to open an account, where Vinna handed three S$10,000 notes to her friend.

Source: Singapore Banks Guide for illustration purposes only

Since staff at the previous bank had said money could not be deposited on someone else’s behalf, the accused had her friend deceive the bank staff, claiming the money was given to her by her grandmother.

The ruse fell apart when bank officers identified the notes as counterfeit while they were attempting to deposit them. Both Vinna and Sufiyah were swiftly investigated.

Pleaded for leniency, said she hasn’t seen family for nine months

In court, Vinna expressed regret, saying she hadn’t seen her family for nine months since the case began.

Her defence lawyer argued she was now mentally exhausted, financially affected, and promised she would not reoffend.

However, prosecutors stressed that she had smuggled in 45 undeclared S$10,000 notes, lied repeatedly, and even got a friend to mislead bank staff.

They recommended a fine between S$15,000 and S$20,000.

The judge eventually fined her S$16,000.

As for Sufiyah, she was earlier sentenced to two months’ jail for failing to disclose the source of the counterfeit notes and involving Vinna in the plot.