On 5 July 2014 at about 10.30pm, Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) officers at the Woodlands Checkpoint directed a Malaysia-registered lorry departing Singapore for routine checks.

2.         During the course of checks, our officers spotted the silhouette of two human bodies hiding behind cushions and clothing at the empty space of the cabin behind the driver seat. True to their suspicion, they found two men lying inside the cabin and one of them was covering his face with a black cloth.

3.         The 41-year-old Malaysian driver and two 33-year-old Bangladeshi nationals were immediately placed under arrest.

4.         Both Bangladeshi nationals, Ali Mohammod and Yasin Ali Yousuf Ali were charged for failure to present a passport to an immigration officer when leaving Singapore under Section 5A(1)(b)(i) of the Immigration Act. Ali Mohammod was convicted and sentenced to eight weeks’ imprisonment on 29 July 2014 while Yasin Ali Yousuf Ali was convicted and sentenced to one month’s imprisonment today.

5.         The driver, Mohd Adnan Bin Subakir was charged for abetting both Bangladeshi nationals to leave Singapore unlawfully under Section 57(1)(b) of the Immigration Act. Mohd Adnan was convicted and sentenced to six months’ imprisonment on 4 August 2014.

6.         The 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.

7.         Our borders are our first line of defence in safeguarding Singapore's security. The security checks are critical to our nation’s security.  We will continue to conduct security checks on passengers and vehicles at the checkpoints to prevent attempts to smuggle in undesirable persons, drugs, weapons, explosives and other contrabands. 

IMMIGRATION & CHECKPOINTS AUTHORITY

6 November 2014

Ali Mohammod

(Bangladeshi national)

Yasin Ali Yousuf Ali

(Bangladeshi national)

           

Mohd Adnan Bin Subakir

(Driver)