In January 2023, Oh had sought to use the diplomatic bag service to convey watches and other items from China to Singapore. The items belonged to Oh’s friend in China, and Oh had agreed to help take them to Singapore as a personal favour.
Diplomatic bags are used to send documents or items for official use. Under the Vienna Convention, they cannot be opened or detained.
Oh had an unwitting colleague help convey the package via the diplomatic bag service on a flight from China to Singapore.
The colleague ended up carrying the package in his luggage as the diplomatic bag service was suspended at that point, and the package was discovered subsequently.
Worried about his career progression due to potential disciplinary action, Oh told MFA that the watches belonged to his father, believing that the MFA would be more lenient if he said that.
