The last weekend had certainly been hazy, hot and humid!  Most people would have soaked themselves in the swimming pool or immersed themselves in the comfort of air-conditioned places to avoid the heat waves.  Amazingly, two Chinese women had chosen to push themselves to the limit by hiding inside a crammed car boot on a hot and sunny afternoon!  No, they were not challengers for some reality shows. Neither were they acrobats from a foreign performing troupe showcasing their latest stunts in town. 

 

2.         On 17 October 2010 at about 2.45pm , officers from the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority ( ICA ) at the Woodlands Checkpoint directed a Malaysia-registered saloon car to the departure inspection area for routine checks.  The lone male Malaysian driver appeared nervous and fidgety when the officers asked him to step out of the silver car as part of the inspection.  Yes, the hot weather might have caused him to perspire profusely.  But to the experienced and alert ICA officers, they knew that it was not simply the weather that solely caused him to “sweat” (no pun intended) big time.  

 

3.         In the presence of the driver, the ICA officers proceeded to examine the different compartments of the car.  As soon as the officers opened the car boot, they came face to face with not one but two passengers lying prone inside the boot.  The two Chinese women and the driver were immediately placed under arrest.

Yet another innocuous car? Apparently not quite so! 

 

Look carefully! There are two passengers!

4.           During preliminary investigation, the 27-year-old driver, Lau Han Kiat claimed that he was approached by a male Malaysian Chinese known as “Ah Liang” to help convey immigration offenders out of Singapore illegally.  The latter had promised him a sum of S$100 for each successful departure of an illegal immigrant.  Lau also claimed that the car he used to convey the women belonged to “Ah Liang”. Separately, the two Chinese women, Luo ZhenMei and Wu MeiXian (aged 39 and 43 respectively) revealed that they had overstayed in Singapore to seek illegal employment.  They had decided to return to China to see their family members.  Through Wu’s friend, the women subsequently managed to arrange for their illegal departure by paying an agent in Malaysia S$2,000 each upon successful entry into Malaysia.  The women claimed that they were instructed by Lau to hide inside the car boot through the rear seats after they were driven to a deserted car park in Woodlands.

 

5.          The two women were charged and convicted for overstaying in Singapore on 19 October.  They were each sentenced to 6 months’ imprisonment and fined $3,000 in default 6 weeks’ imprisonment.  Lau Han Kiat’s case has been fixed for further mention next week. The car used in the commission of the offence has also been detained by ICA and is liable for forfeiture.  The trio might have naively thought that such an unbearable climate was an opportune time for their illicit activities. Unfortunately for them, the ICA officers had remained astute and “cool-headed” despite the heat and foiled their desperate escapade – no sweat about it!

 

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

20 OCTOBER 2010