Officers from the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) never cease to be astounded by the treacherous means that smugglers employed to bootleg illicit or contraband items into Singapore. From concealing the illicit items in the running tyres of their vehicles to stashing the illegal loot in the hazardous engine compartments of a vessel, the smugglers are resolute in making the quick bucks, often at the expense of their own safety. One recent attempt has proven to be far too fatal.

2 One towing barge had arrived in Singapore on 20 March 2010 at 1.30 pm bringing in a consignment that was to be off-loaded at Punggol Aggregate. As the vessel prepared to depart Singapore on the following day at 6.30 am, the master did a head count and realized that one crew member had gone missing.



The towing barge – Lingco 203

3 The remaining crew conducted a search on board the vessel in a frantic attempt to locate their missing crew mate. To their horror, his lifeless body was found inside the rear manhole at the starboard side, together with the body of an unidentified man. The master immediately informed the Police Coast Guard on the discovery of the two bodies.

4 The ICA’s Anti-Smuggling Team (AST) was also alerted as the barge was suspected to be carrying contraband items. The AST officers boarded the barge and conducted a thorough search. When they came to the manhole, where the two men were found, the eagle-eyed officers spotted some boxes wrapped in black plastic hidden in the shadow of the dark manhole.



The starboard side of the towing barge

5 Suspecting the presence of some poisonous gas in the manhole, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) was called in. Working under the dangerous elements and equipped with the protective suits and breathing apparatus, the SCDF officers entered the manhole measuring about 0.5m wide. Using rescue ropes, SCDF retrieved the two bodies from the compartment. The two men were pronounced dead by an SCDF paramedic and handed over to the Singapore Police Force for investigation. The 26 packets that were retrieved from the manhole contained a total of 1,300 cartons of cigarettes worth about $128,000. The estimated duty and GST involved are $108,000 and $9,000 respectively. The cigarettes and vessel were handed over to Singapore Customs for further investigation. Singapore Police is also investigating the deaths of the two men found in the manhole.




1,300 cartons of contraband cigarettes

6 ICA is the entrusted gatekeeper of Singapore’s borders, holding the first line of defence against terrorist threats. As Singapore sleeps soundly at night, the dedicated ICA officers work round the clock in unpredictable conditions to ensure the security and safety of Singapore. We have tightened our security checks on passengers, conveyances and cargoes at the checkpoints to prevent attempts to smuggle in undesirable persons, drugs, weapons, explosives and other contraband. The same methods of concealment used by contraband smugglers may be used by terrorists to smuggle arms and explosives to carry out attacks in Singapore. We would like to advise the public against smuggling unlawful goods into Singapore.

IMMIGRATION & CHECKPOINTS AUTHORITY
25 MARCH 2010