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Tough Enforcement Action to Continue Despite Improvement in Overall Immigration Offender Situation in 2002
On 24 Feb 2003, acting on information received, SIR officers mounted an island-wide operation against immigration offenders. 5 HDB units in Woodlands, Tampines, Sims Drive and Ang Mo Kio were raided. A total of 37 immigration offenders were arrested within the premises.
2 The 37 immigration offenders (31 males and 6 females) were from India, Myanmar and the People's Republic of China. In one HDB unit alone, 14 immigration offenders were found. In the other HDB units, about 5 to 6 immigration offenders were arrested. The immigration offenders arrested had entered Singapore illegally or overstayed. The majority are aged between thirties and forties.
3 SIR takes a serious view of attempts by foreigners to overstay or enter 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 3 strokes of the cane.
Immigration Offender Situation in 2002
4 SIR would also like to take this opportunity to share the immigration offender situation in 2002, which has improved compared to 2001.
Illegal Immigrants
5 A total of 7,860 illegal immigrants were arrested in 2002. This is a drop of 24 per cent compared to 10,400 illegal immigrants arrested in 2001. The majority of illegal immigrants arrested were from Bangladesh, India and the People's Republic of China. Together, they accounted for 76 per cent of total illegal immigrants arrested. However, compared to 2001, the number arrested from these three countries has fallen by 21 per cent.
6 Stepped-up enforcement actions and security checks at the various checkpoints have deterred the smuggling of illegal immigrants in and out of Singapore. This has, in turn led to the fall in the number of illegal immigrants arrested. Since the 9-11 incident, security checks at the various checkpoints have been stepped up. The mobile x-ray machine (also known as the MOBIX) has been deployed at the land checkpoints to provide x-ray screening of goods-carrying vehicles. In addition, the Police Coast Guard has made its presence felt by increasing its patrols around Singapore territorial waters.
Overstayers
7 Compared to 2001, the number of overstayers arrested in 2002 has increased marginally by 1 per cent. Of the total of 5,690 overstayers arrested, 76 per cent are from India, People's Republic of China and Thailand. Most of the overstayers were here to seek illegal employment, mainly in the construction sector, food and beverage outlets, vice or entertainment industries. However, a big group of about 1,100 overstayers (or about 20 per cent of the total arrested) who were unable to find any job in Singapore had surrendered themselves to SIR in 2002.
Harbourers and Employers of immigration offenders
8 The efforts of the authorities to create greater awareness of the immigration offender problem and the penalties for employing and harbouring immigration offenders have, once again, paid off. In 2002, the number of persons arrested for harbouring and employing immigration offenders fell by 11 per cent and 15 per cent respectively. In fact, the number of harbourers and employers arrested has been falling since 2000. (See Annex.)
9 Although the number of immigration offenders arrested in 2002 has declined, SIR, Police and the other Home Team agencies will not let up on eliminating the presence of immigration offenders in Singapore. The island-wide operation on 24 Feb 2003 which resulted in the arrest of 37 immigration offenders is an example of our resolve to further reduce the population of immigration offenders in Singapore, to make Singapore a safe and secure best home for all.
10 SIR would also like to remind the public that it is an offence to offer shelter and employment to immigration offenders. Homeowners can make use of SIR's online checking system, called "VERIFI" (or Verification of Foreigner Immigration Status) to verify the immigration passes of their prospective tenants. VERIFI can be accessed through SIR's internet website: http://www.sir.gov.sg and allows users to receive an instantaneous reply on the validity of the immigration passes presented to them. Similarly, MOM has a system to allow the checking on the validity of work passes at its website: http://www.gov.sg/mom. Members of public with information regarding immigration offenders can call SIR at Tel: 1800-391 6150 or contact the Police.
END OF NEWS RELEASE
Singapore Immigration & Registration
24 Feb 2003
Annex
Number of Immigration Offenders Arrested from 2000 to 2002
Year Illegal immigrants Overstayers Total number of Immigration offenders
2000 11,600 4,900 16,500
2001 10,400 5,600 16,000
2002 7,860 5,690 13,550
Number of Harbourers and Employers Arrested from 2000 to 2002
Year Harbourers Employers Total
2000 530 520 1,050
2001 380 480 860
2002 340 410 750
2 The 37 immigration offenders (31 males and 6 females) were from India, Myanmar and the People's Republic of China. In one HDB unit alone, 14 immigration offenders were found. In the other HDB units, about 5 to 6 immigration offenders were arrested. The immigration offenders arrested had entered Singapore illegally or overstayed. The majority are aged between thirties and forties.
3 SIR takes a serious view of attempts by foreigners to overstay or enter 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 3 strokes of the cane.
Immigration Offender Situation in 2002
4 SIR would also like to take this opportunity to share the immigration offender situation in 2002, which has improved compared to 2001.
Illegal Immigrants
5 A total of 7,860 illegal immigrants were arrested in 2002. This is a drop of 24 per cent compared to 10,400 illegal immigrants arrested in 2001. The majority of illegal immigrants arrested were from Bangladesh, India and the People's Republic of China. Together, they accounted for 76 per cent of total illegal immigrants arrested. However, compared to 2001, the number arrested from these three countries has fallen by 21 per cent.
6 Stepped-up enforcement actions and security checks at the various checkpoints have deterred the smuggling of illegal immigrants in and out of Singapore. This has, in turn led to the fall in the number of illegal immigrants arrested. Since the 9-11 incident, security checks at the various checkpoints have been stepped up. The mobile x-ray machine (also known as the MOBIX) has been deployed at the land checkpoints to provide x-ray screening of goods-carrying vehicles. In addition, the Police Coast Guard has made its presence felt by increasing its patrols around Singapore territorial waters.
Overstayers
7 Compared to 2001, the number of overstayers arrested in 2002 has increased marginally by 1 per cent. Of the total of 5,690 overstayers arrested, 76 per cent are from India, People's Republic of China and Thailand. Most of the overstayers were here to seek illegal employment, mainly in the construction sector, food and beverage outlets, vice or entertainment industries. However, a big group of about 1,100 overstayers (or about 20 per cent of the total arrested) who were unable to find any job in Singapore had surrendered themselves to SIR in 2002.
Harbourers and Employers of immigration offenders
8 The efforts of the authorities to create greater awareness of the immigration offender problem and the penalties for employing and harbouring immigration offenders have, once again, paid off. In 2002, the number of persons arrested for harbouring and employing immigration offenders fell by 11 per cent and 15 per cent respectively. In fact, the number of harbourers and employers arrested has been falling since 2000. (See Annex.)
9 Although the number of immigration offenders arrested in 2002 has declined, SIR, Police and the other Home Team agencies will not let up on eliminating the presence of immigration offenders in Singapore. The island-wide operation on 24 Feb 2003 which resulted in the arrest of 37 immigration offenders is an example of our resolve to further reduce the population of immigration offenders in Singapore, to make Singapore a safe and secure best home for all.
10 SIR would also like to remind the public that it is an offence to offer shelter and employment to immigration offenders. Homeowners can make use of SIR's online checking system, called "VERIFI" (or Verification of Foreigner Immigration Status) to verify the immigration passes of their prospective tenants. VERIFI can be accessed through SIR's internet website: http://www.sir.gov.sg and allows users to receive an instantaneous reply on the validity of the immigration passes presented to them. Similarly, MOM has a system to allow the checking on the validity of work passes at its website: http://www.gov.sg/mom. Members of public with information regarding immigration offenders can call SIR at Tel: 1800-391 6150 or contact the Police.
END OF NEWS RELEASE
Singapore Immigration & Registration
24 Feb 2003
Annex
Number of Immigration Offenders Arrested from 2000 to 2002
Year Illegal immigrants Overstayers Total number of Immigration offenders
2000 11,600 4,900 16,500
2001 10,400 5,600 16,000
2002 7,860 5,690 13,550
Number of Harbourers and Employers Arrested from 2000 to 2002
Year Harbourers Employers Total
2000 530 520 1,050
2001 380 480 860
2002 340 410 750