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The “Absent” Passenger
The lone male driver in an innocuous looking silver sedan pulled into the departure zone of the Woodlands Checkpoint. He went through departure immigration clearance smoothly and swiftly without event.
Innocuous-looking sedan
2. The Chinese driver was then signaled to drive his Malaysian-registered car towards the secondary check area for routine checks. At this point, the driver’s nervousness and discomfort became obvious. Sensing something amiss, the hawk-eyed Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) officers conducted thorough checks on the said vehicle. When the driver was instructed to open the car boot, he knew the game was over. A Chinese female subject was found crouching inside the car boot. Both the driver and his “absent” passenger were immediately placed under arrest.
The ‘absent’ passenger in the car boot
3. Preliminary investigations revealed that a deal was brokered by a middleman for the 23-year-old Malaysian driver to pick up a female PRC national at the Marsiling MRT station. He was promised a sum of RM500 if he successfully conveyed his passenger out of Singapore illegally. As they were approaching Woodlands Checkpoint, he told his female passenger to hide inside the car boot. The female Chinese national, suspected for overstaying, had approached an agent to make the arrangement for her illegal departure for a fee of $3,000. Both the driver and the immigration offender are currently under investigation for their offences. The vehicle used in the commission of the offence has been detained and is liable for forfeiture.
4. The ICA takes a serious view of attempts by foreigners who 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.
5. Our borders are our first line of defence in safeguarding Singapore's security. We conduct stringent 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
17 NOVEMBER 2010
Innocuous-looking sedan
2. The Chinese driver was then signaled to drive his Malaysian-registered car towards the secondary check area for routine checks. At this point, the driver’s nervousness and discomfort became obvious. Sensing something amiss, the hawk-eyed Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) officers conducted thorough checks on the said vehicle. When the driver was instructed to open the car boot, he knew the game was over. A Chinese female subject was found crouching inside the car boot. Both the driver and his “absent” passenger were immediately placed under arrest.
The ‘absent’ passenger in the car boot
3. Preliminary investigations revealed that a deal was brokered by a middleman for the 23-year-old Malaysian driver to pick up a female PRC national at the Marsiling MRT station. He was promised a sum of RM500 if he successfully conveyed his passenger out of Singapore illegally. As they were approaching Woodlands Checkpoint, he told his female passenger to hide inside the car boot. The female Chinese national, suspected for overstaying, had approached an agent to make the arrangement for her illegal departure for a fee of $3,000. Both the driver and the immigration offender are currently under investigation for their offences. The vehicle used in the commission of the offence has been detained and is liable for forfeiture.
4. The ICA takes a serious view of attempts by foreigners who 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.
5. Our borders are our first line of defence in safeguarding Singapore's security. We conduct stringent 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
17 NOVEMBER 2010