On 19 February 2019 at around 8.40am, officers from the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) mounted an operation at a cemetery in Choa Chu Kang. While checking the area, a Myanmar male national spotted the officers and attempted to flee. Officers immediately gave chase and subdued him.

2          The man led the officers to his make-shift quarters within the cemetery where five other male Myanmar nationals were found.  All were established to be immigration offenders. The six of them, aged between 22 and 42, were arrested for immigration-related offences, including overstaying in Singapore. The Myanmar nationals claimed that they were working as grave diggers in the cemetery. Investigations are currently ongoing.

3          ICA takes a serious view of attempts to overstay, enter or depart Singapore illegally. Under the Immigration Act (Cap 133), the penalties for overstaying or illegal entry are a jail term of up to six months plus a minimum of three strokes of the cane, while the penalties for illegal departure is a fine of up to $2,000, a jail term of up to six months, or both.

4          ICA is committed to safeguard Singapore’s security and will continue with our inland enforcement efforts to ensure that the immigration offenders situation is kept under control.

IMMIGRATION & CHECKPOINTS AUTHORITY
21 FEBRUARY 2019

PHOTOS

Men arrested at the cemetery. (Photo: ICA)



Make-shift quarters in the cemetery. (Photos: ICA)