Back to top
The Contortion Performance
Have you ever wonder how contortionists manage to squeeze their body into a small trunk or container? Well, the officers from the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) had seen for themselves how two men managed to pull off the act. Unfortunately for them, they made the wrong choice of showcasing their performing talent to an audience of ICA officers, of all people. By the time they realised their folly acts, it was just too late.
2. On 10 February 2011 at about 11.20am, a Malaysia-registered trailer pulled into the Woodlands checkpoint to seek departure clearance. The lone male driver was directed to the inspection area for checks. The Malaysian was visibly uneasy and appeared nervous when the ICA officers requested that he stepped out of the vehicle to allow the officers to check the driver’s cabin. His anxieties did not escape the eagle-eyed officers who proceeded with a meticulous inspection of the 40-footer trailer.
3. Their patience and efforts finally paid off when their checks within the driver’s cabin uncovered a storage compartment behind the driver’s seat. The section appeared to be a normal compartment of the trailer but the meticulous officers left nothing to chance. As soon as the officers opened the box measuring about 2.5m (L) by 1m (W) by 1m (H), they were greeted by two men lying sideways inside their hideout. The two foreigners and the driver were immediately placed under arrest.
Huge trailer but ICA officers were not intimidated at all
Innocuous storage compartment behind the driver’s seat
Dubious duo crouching inside their hideouts
4. During preliminary investigation, the 22-year-old driver claimed that he was approached by a Malaysian man earlier this month to convey immigration offenders out of Singapore illegally. He was promised a sum of RM500 for each illegal immigrant if he managed to smuggle them out. Arrangements were made to pick up the two illegal immigrants at the Old Woodlands Road and the men were told to cram into the small storage compartment as his trailer headed towards the checkpoint.
5. The two illegal immigrants who were found hiding in the compartment were established to be an Indian and Bangladeshi national, aged 33 and 35 respectively. Both men revealed that they had come to Singapore to seek illegal employment. They had paid an unknown male Indian agent S$1,800 each to arrange for their illegal departure out of Singapore. The driver and two illegal immigrants are currently under investigation by the ICA. The trailer used in the commission of the offence has also been seized by ICA pending further investigation. The trio might have painstakingly put up a good show for the ICA officers but the act was only short-lived and ended on a negative note for them.
6. The ICA takes a serious view of attempts by foreigners 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 enhanced security checks are critical to our nation’s security. We have tightened our 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
11 FEBRUARY 2011
2. On 10 February 2011 at about 11.20am, a Malaysia-registered trailer pulled into the Woodlands checkpoint to seek departure clearance. The lone male driver was directed to the inspection area for checks. The Malaysian was visibly uneasy and appeared nervous when the ICA officers requested that he stepped out of the vehicle to allow the officers to check the driver’s cabin. His anxieties did not escape the eagle-eyed officers who proceeded with a meticulous inspection of the 40-footer trailer.
3. Their patience and efforts finally paid off when their checks within the driver’s cabin uncovered a storage compartment behind the driver’s seat. The section appeared to be a normal compartment of the trailer but the meticulous officers left nothing to chance. As soon as the officers opened the box measuring about 2.5m (L) by 1m (W) by 1m (H), they were greeted by two men lying sideways inside their hideout. The two foreigners and the driver were immediately placed under arrest.
Huge trailer but ICA officers were not intimidated at all
Innocuous storage compartment behind the driver’s seat
Dubious duo crouching inside their hideouts
4. During preliminary investigation, the 22-year-old driver claimed that he was approached by a Malaysian man earlier this month to convey immigration offenders out of Singapore illegally. He was promised a sum of RM500 for each illegal immigrant if he managed to smuggle them out. Arrangements were made to pick up the two illegal immigrants at the Old Woodlands Road and the men were told to cram into the small storage compartment as his trailer headed towards the checkpoint.
5. The two illegal immigrants who were found hiding in the compartment were established to be an Indian and Bangladeshi national, aged 33 and 35 respectively. Both men revealed that they had come to Singapore to seek illegal employment. They had paid an unknown male Indian agent S$1,800 each to arrange for their illegal departure out of Singapore. The driver and two illegal immigrants are currently under investigation by the ICA. The trailer used in the commission of the offence has also been seized by ICA pending further investigation. The trio might have painstakingly put up a good show for the ICA officers but the act was only short-lived and ended on a negative note for them.
6. The ICA takes a serious view of attempts by foreigners 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 enhanced security checks are critical to our nation’s security. We have tightened our 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
11 FEBRUARY 2011