Amidst the current World Cup fervor, it is not uncommon to hear your neighbourhood exploding in spontaneous groans when the ardent football fans watch their favourite player being booted out of the game by a referee holding up a red card. Referees are empowered with the authority to make decisions during the match. Like the referees in a football match, the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) officers also had their fair share of the game one evening when they flashed the red card and booted out an immigration offender and his abettors, ending their game instantaneously.

2. It was all hands on deck at the Woodlands Checkpoint on the evening of 21 June 2010. The ICA officers have been working tirelessly for hours clearing the peak hours’ traffic. Workers and travellers were in a rush to reach home in time to catch the match between Portugal and North Korea. At about 8.30pm, a Malaysia-registered saloon car pulled into the checkpoint for departure clearance. The clearing officers noticed that both the male driver and his passenger appeared fidgety and kept averting their gazes when spoken to. The officers then decided to direct the vehicle to the inspection area for secondary checks.



Innocuous-looking vehicle to us; but not to the ICA officers

3. In the presence of the duo, the ICA officers meticulously searched the car. It was game over when the ICA officers raised the ‘red alarm’ on finding a man crouching in the car boot. The 36-year-old male Bangladeshi immigration offender and the two Malaysian men were immediately placed under arrest.



Latest travelling fashion?

4. During preliminary investigation, the 35-year-old driver, Cik Jamil, and his 24-year-old passenger, Hafiz, admitted to abetting the illegal departure of the Bangladeshi man. Jamil claimed that he was approached by Hafiz in Malaysia to help convey immigration offenders out of Singapore illegally by hiding them inside Hafiz’s car. Upon the successful attempt, both men would split the S$400 reward equally amongst themselves.

5. The duo met up with another unknown male Bangladeshi in Kranji Loop, Singapore where they were paid the fee before making the illegal attempt. They were also instructed to pick up the immigration offender at the Kranji MRT Station. On their way to Woodlands Checkpoint, they had stopped over at Turf Club Avenue and instructed the immigration offender to hide inside the car boot.

6. The trio is currently under investigation by the ICA. The Bangladeshi immigration offender was charged and convicted for remaining unlawfully in Singapore for a period exceeding 90 days. He was sentenced to 2 months' imprisonment and 5 strokes of the cane. The car used in the commission of the offence has also been detained by ICA. 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
23 JUNE 2010