Syaifudin Alfitroh, 32, pleaded guilty to possessing an offensive weapon, according to The Straits Times.

On Aug 27, while going through security at Terminal 4 for a flight to Indonesia, officers saw a suspicious object in his right shoe. He had taken off his shoes for the X‑ray scan, and the knife was hidden under two layers of socks.

The knife measured 19.5 centimetres in total, with a 12‑centimetre blade. It was wrapped in plastic bags and sealed with tape.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Ng Jun Kai said Syaifudin worked on vessels in the Indian Ocean. In March, he met a man named Ahmad on one of those vessels. Ahmad gave him the knife, wrapped it in plastic, and told him to hide it in his shoe before leaving for Jakarta.

Syaifudin said he first thought about putting the knife in his checked luggage, but remembered Ahmad’s instructions. He was arrested the same day and formally charged on Aug 29.

The prosecutor asked the court for a jail term of 10 to 12 months and six strokes of the cane. The court sentenced Syaifudin to 10 months in jail.

In Singapore, possessing an offensive weapon in a public place can lead to up to three years in jail and caning, according to The Straits Times.