When the going gets tough, the desperate smugglers have utter disregard for lives, even if it is for the lives of the feathered ones. Once again, officers from the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) and the Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority (AVA) have thwarted the smugglers’ plans, ending the perilous journey of more than a thousand live birds during their flight, ahem, ‘ride’ across the Causeway. The giveaway – an unusual symphony of chirps orchestrated by crickets and birds!

2 In the early hours of 8 June 2010, ICA and AVA officers conducted a joint operation at the Woodlands Checkpoint to look out for travellers who attempt to smuggle security and AVA-controlled items into Singapore. At about 4.25 am, a Malaysia-registered motorcycle pulled up at the border crossing and produced an AVA permit, authorising the importation of 10,000 insects – 5,000 grasshoppers and 5,000 crickets.

3 While inspecting the crates of consignment stacked on the rear rack of the motorcycle, the ICA officers thought they heard chirping sounds that were unlike the songs of crickets. Their suspicion was proven right when they uncovered six crates of live birds concealed below the consignment of crickets. A whopping 1,000 Munias and 140 Mata Putehs were seized from the receptacles, the largest haul of birds seized at the checkpoints since 2006.



Six incriminating crates of feathered species



A symphony of chirps

  

From left: Chirps of mata putehs saved the day; image of Munia (extracted from wikipedia.com)

4 Barely five minutes after the detection of the illicit loot in the first motorcycle, another Malaysia-registered motorbike which had just pulled into the checkpoint was subjected to a check. Officers found an AVA permit authorising the importation of grasshoppers and crickets in his possession even when he was not conveying any consignment. This had the officers’ antennae going up, and they conducted checks on the second conveyance but found nothing suspicious. As it was just too much of a coincidence, officers decided to interview the second Malaysian Chinese rider. It was certainly no surprise that he too, was involved in this illegal smuggling of the birds into Singapore.

5 The 45-year-old Malaysian Chinese who had attempted to bring in the birds illegally admitted to the smuggling activity. He claimed that a Malaysian man by the name of Ah Meng had offered him $250 for the delivery and instructed him to meet up with the second rider at a carpark near the checkpoint after immigration and customs clearance. Being unemployed and in need of money, he fell bait to the temptation of earning a quick buck from the illicit trip. The second rider, a 56-year old man, corroborated the account of the first rider and added that his role was to oversee the bootlegging attempt. Once they entered Singapore successfully, Ah Meng would give him further instructions on the location of delivery and he would receive $150 for his role in overseeing the operation.

6 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. In view of the potential danger of avian flu, we would like to advise the public against the smuggling of birds, poultry and poultry products into Singapore.

7 The importation of live birds without an AVA permit is a violation of the Animals and Birds Act, which carries a maximum penalty of $10,000 and/or imprisonment of up to one year. The two persons were convicted in court this afternoon and sentenced to one month's imprisonment.



ISSUED BY: IMMIGRATION & CHECKPOINTS AUTHORITY（移民与关卡局）
& AGRI-FOOD & VETERINARY AUTHORITY （新加坡农粮局）

DATE: 9 JUNE 2010