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Hopping Into The Long Arms of Law
In less than two weeks, we will be ushering in the year of the Rabbit! Most people will be wishing that the new year gets better by leaps and bounds, just like how the adorable bunnies move. Unfortunately for two men, their hope for a better year of the Rabbit was cruelly dashed. Well, they could only blame themselves for their predicament.
2. Around the midnight of 21 January, a lone male Malaysian driver pulled into the Woodlands Checkpoint to seek immigration clearance. Officers from the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) then directed the Malaysia-registered saloon car to the departure inspection area for routine checks. What was supposed to be a normal and routine procedure actually turned out to be quite a fanfare for both the officers as well as the 26-year-old driver. The sharp ICA officers noticed the Chinese man’s unusual behaviour and panicky look. Indeed, the misdemeanor of the man immediately caught the attention of the officers.
3. In the presence of the driver, the ICA officers examined the different compartments of the red saloon car. With the officers’ expertise and skills in search and detection, they did not take long to uncover the hidden “stuff” in the vehicle. As soon as the officers opened the car boot, they were greeted by another man lying prone inside the hideout, sweating profusely. The man and the driver were immediately apprehended.
The sedan that failed to get pass the ICA officers
Immigration offender found crouching in the car boot
4. During preliminary investigation, the driver admitted that he had taken up his friend’s offer of RM1,000 to convey an immigration offender out of Singapore. He was offered this illicit deal by his Malaysian friend, “Ah Kent”. The driver also acknowledged that he had instructed the immigration offender to hide inside the car boot to avoid detection.
5. The man in the boot was established to be a 40-year-old Chinese national. The immigration offender revealed that he had entered Singapore to seek illegal employment. However, he was unable to secure any job and hence, decided to return home. He had paid an agent, “Ah Pui”, S$1,500 prior to his illegal departure from Singapore. On 21 January, “Ah Pui” instructed the Chinese man to meet a Malaysian at Marsiling Town Centre who will convey him out of the country.
6. The duo’s dream of enjoying a bountiful new year eventually turned out to be just one that was never meant to be. Never did they expect to have hopped right into the long arms of the law instead, thanks to the astute ICA officers.
7. 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.
8. 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
24 JANUARY 2011
2. Around the midnight of 21 January, a lone male Malaysian driver pulled into the Woodlands Checkpoint to seek immigration clearance. Officers from the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) then directed the Malaysia-registered saloon car to the departure inspection area for routine checks. What was supposed to be a normal and routine procedure actually turned out to be quite a fanfare for both the officers as well as the 26-year-old driver. The sharp ICA officers noticed the Chinese man’s unusual behaviour and panicky look. Indeed, the misdemeanor of the man immediately caught the attention of the officers.
3. In the presence of the driver, the ICA officers examined the different compartments of the red saloon car. With the officers’ expertise and skills in search and detection, they did not take long to uncover the hidden “stuff” in the vehicle. As soon as the officers opened the car boot, they were greeted by another man lying prone inside the hideout, sweating profusely. The man and the driver were immediately apprehended.
The sedan that failed to get pass the ICA officers
Immigration offender found crouching in the car boot
4. During preliminary investigation, the driver admitted that he had taken up his friend’s offer of RM1,000 to convey an immigration offender out of Singapore. He was offered this illicit deal by his Malaysian friend, “Ah Kent”. The driver also acknowledged that he had instructed the immigration offender to hide inside the car boot to avoid detection.
5. The man in the boot was established to be a 40-year-old Chinese national. The immigration offender revealed that he had entered Singapore to seek illegal employment. However, he was unable to secure any job and hence, decided to return home. He had paid an agent, “Ah Pui”, S$1,500 prior to his illegal departure from Singapore. On 21 January, “Ah Pui” instructed the Chinese man to meet a Malaysian at Marsiling Town Centre who will convey him out of the country.
6. The duo’s dream of enjoying a bountiful new year eventually turned out to be just one that was never meant to be. Never did they expect to have hopped right into the long arms of the law instead, thanks to the astute ICA officers.
7. 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.
8. 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
24 JANUARY 2011