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Immigration offenders beware! You can run but you can't hide
Case 1
On 12 Jan 2004 beginning at 2230 hours, Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) officers mounted a series of operation against immigration offenders at different lodging houses and private apartments located at Sing Ave, Sandy Lane, Tanjong Katong Road and Geylang. The series of raids which ended at 0530 hours the following day resulted in the arrest of a total of 49 immigration offenders.
2 Of the 49 immigration offenders arrested, 42 of them are PRC nationals (26 males and 16 females), 4 are male Bangladesh nationals and 3 are male Indian nationals. The immigration offenders arrested are aged between 19 and 52 years old.
Case 2
3 In an earlier incident on the same day at 2140 hours, an illegal immigrant and her Malaysian driver found out that nothing escapes the eyes of our alert ICA officers at Woodlands Checkpoint. The 35-year old female illegal immigrant, a PRC national had tried to enter Singapore illegally by hiding in a secret compartment under the back seat of a Malaysian-registered Nissan car that was driven by a 30-year old male Malaysian.
4 Our ICA officers stopped the incoming car for a routine check and noticed that there was a metal plank under the back seat of the car when it was lifted. Smelling a rat, the officers lifted up the metal plank and discovered a female PRC national hiding in the compartment. She and the driver were immediately placed under arrest. The car was also seized.
5 Preliminary investigations revealed that the driver had borrowed RM3000 from a person and was subsequently asked by the person to drive his car to Singapore. The driver would have RM200 deducted from his loan and will be paid RM150 for every trip he made. The driver admitted that he was aware that there was an illegal immigrant in the car. He was instructed to release the illegal immigrant at a nearby carpark after immigration clearance at Woodlands.
6 Further investigations revealed that the female illegal immigrant had met a village friend in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and the friend had promised to bring her to Singapore to find work. She was told to hide in the secret compartment of the car that would bring her to Singapore.
7 ICA takes a serious view of attempts by foreigners to overstay or enter Singapore illegally and would prosecute them and others who abet their illegal stay or entry into Singapore. 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 3 strokes of the cane. The conveyor of these immigration offenders faces a minimum jail term of 2 years plus a minimum of 3 strokes of the cane.
END OF NEWS RELEASE
Immigration & Checkpoints Authority
13 Jan 04
On 12 Jan 2004 beginning at 2230 hours, Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) officers mounted a series of operation against immigration offenders at different lodging houses and private apartments located at Sing Ave, Sandy Lane, Tanjong Katong Road and Geylang. The series of raids which ended at 0530 hours the following day resulted in the arrest of a total of 49 immigration offenders.
2 Of the 49 immigration offenders arrested, 42 of them are PRC nationals (26 males and 16 females), 4 are male Bangladesh nationals and 3 are male Indian nationals. The immigration offenders arrested are aged between 19 and 52 years old.
Case 2
3 In an earlier incident on the same day at 2140 hours, an illegal immigrant and her Malaysian driver found out that nothing escapes the eyes of our alert ICA officers at Woodlands Checkpoint. The 35-year old female illegal immigrant, a PRC national had tried to enter Singapore illegally by hiding in a secret compartment under the back seat of a Malaysian-registered Nissan car that was driven by a 30-year old male Malaysian.
4 Our ICA officers stopped the incoming car for a routine check and noticed that there was a metal plank under the back seat of the car when it was lifted. Smelling a rat, the officers lifted up the metal plank and discovered a female PRC national hiding in the compartment. She and the driver were immediately placed under arrest. The car was also seized.
5 Preliminary investigations revealed that the driver had borrowed RM3000 from a person and was subsequently asked by the person to drive his car to Singapore. The driver would have RM200 deducted from his loan and will be paid RM150 for every trip he made. The driver admitted that he was aware that there was an illegal immigrant in the car. He was instructed to release the illegal immigrant at a nearby carpark after immigration clearance at Woodlands.
6 Further investigations revealed that the female illegal immigrant had met a village friend in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and the friend had promised to bring her to Singapore to find work. She was told to hide in the secret compartment of the car that would bring her to Singapore.
7 ICA takes a serious view of attempts by foreigners to overstay or enter Singapore illegally and would prosecute them and others who abet their illegal stay or entry into Singapore. 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 3 strokes of the cane. The conveyor of these immigration offenders faces a minimum jail term of 2 years plus a minimum of 3 strokes of the cane.
END OF NEWS RELEASE
Immigration & Checkpoints Authority
13 Jan 04