It is not uncommon to hear of drivers blowing thousands of dollars to install state-of-the art sound systems in cars to enjoy music on the go. High performance subwoofers, coupled with powerful audio amplifier and six-inch speakers will surround you with enriching music to make your drive home much more enjoyable. If being surrounded by music is pure bliss, would it be equally comforting to spend thousands of dollars to be ‘encased’ in music? Two men are certain to be asking for refund of their monies as the surround sound had provided little comfort, if at all. The officers at the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) will tell you why…

Case 1: Woodlands Checkpoint, 1 July at 8.50pm, a Bangladesh national and his two abettors were arrested for attempting illegal departure

2. On 1 July 2010 at close to 9pm, ICA officers were standing guard at the exit points of the Woodlands Checkpoint, keeping a vigilant watch of the departing vehicles. From amongst the many cars that were passing through the checkpoint, the profiling experts spotted a suspicious pair driving a Malaysia-registered car at one of the departure car booths. The officers directed the vehicle to the departure inspection area for further checks.

3. As the ICA officers approached the car, they observed that the young Malaysian driver and his male passenger appeared nervous and fidgety. Their non-verbal cues did not escape the eyes of the officers. When the officers instructed the driver to open the car boot, both the driver and his companion knew that their game was up.


Surrounded by music or face the music?


Oversized speakers

4. A male Bangladesh national was found hiding inside the speaker box in the car boot. The duo and the immigration offender were immediately placed under arrest and are currently under investigation for their offences. During preliminary investigations, both men, aged 25, admitted to abetting the illegal departure of the male Bangladesh national. The immigration offender had agreed to pay an unknown middleman a sum of S$1,000 if he was successfully conveyed out of the country. The driver and his friend were only promised S$150 each to help convey the Bangladesh national out of Singapore illegally.

Case 2: Woodlands Checkpoint, 2 July at 9.45am, an Indian national and his abettor were arrested for attempting illegal departure

5. Immediately following the detection of the first case, on 2 July at about 9.45am, another immigration offender was caught trying to depart Singapore illegally.

6. In the course of routine check at the departure car zone, ICA officers directed a Malaysia-registered car for further inspection when the driver was hesitant about being asked to open his car boot. At the inspection pit, officers were immediately on high alert when they spotted the bright red oversized speakers box which took up almost all the space in the car boot. While the officers could not find any latch to open up the speaker box, they did not give up on their search. Moving to the rear passenger seats, the officers released the latch to the back seat and found an Indian national cooped up in the speaker box.


Surrounded by music?


Now he has to face the music...

7. The lone driver, a 25-year-old male Malaysian, who is also a work permit holder in Singapore, revealed that an unknown middleman had brokered the deal and he was told to pick up the Indian national at the Kranji MRT station. Subsequently, the male Indian national was told to hide inside the speaker box all the way to Woodlands Checkpoint. He had agreed to convey the immigration offender out of the country for a sum of S$300 as he faced financial difficulties. The Indian national had decided to leave Singapore as he could not find employment. He had agreed to pay a sum of S$1,500 to the unknown middleman if he was conveyed out of Singapore successfully.

8. The vehicles used in the commission of the offences have been detained and are liable for forfeiture. 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.

9. 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
6 JULY 2010