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Bad News For Contraband Smugglers
Year 2005 was another dismal year for contraband smugglers as they continued to get caught by the Immigration & Checkpoint Authority (ICA) despite trying to vary their methods of concealment. ICA will continue to put more of them out of business this year.
Smuggling of contraband and illegal goods
2. Last year saw a 7 per cent decrease in the number of contraband smuggling cases detected at the checkpoints, falling from about 18,300 cases in 2004 to 17,000 in 2005.
Total number of contraband-smuggling cases detected
Year 2004 18,300
Year 2005 17,000
3. The fall can be attributed to the increased public awareness of the unlawful and prohibited items that cannot be brought into Singapore. ICA would like to thank the media for helping to bring our successful cases detected to public attention. The media reports on the thorough checks conducted by ICA may have also helped to deter potential smugglers.
170 per cent jump in number of cigarette packets seized
4. The smuggling of cigarette and tobacco products saw an increase in 2005. The number of cases detected rose from 6,500 in 2004 to 7,100. The number of cigarette packets seized also increased from about 132,300 to 357,200 packets - a 170 per cent jump.
Total number of cigarette smuggling cases detected
Year 2004 6,500
Year 2005 7,100
Total number of cigarette packets seized
Year 2004 132,300
Year 2005 357,200
67 per cent increase in illegal disc smuggling
5. Year 2005 also saw a 67 per cent increase in the number of illegal disc smuggling cases detected in 2005, increasing from 300 cases in 2004 to 500 cases in 2005. However, the number of discs seized fell from 177,700 in 2004 to 65,300 in 2005.
Total number of illegal disc smuggling cases detected
Year 2004 300
Year 2005 500
Total number of illegal discs seized
Year 2004 177,700
Year 2005 65,300
85 per cent drop in vehicles seized
6. Thanks to the enhanced checks at the land checkpoints, smugglers are now less willing to undertake conveyances. Hence, the number of vehicles seized for conveying immigration offenders registered a 85 per cent drop from 20 in 2004 to 3 in 2005.
Total number of vehicles seized
Year 2004 20
Year 2005 3
Immigration offender situation
Immigration offenders detected at checkpoints
7. The overall immigration offender situation registered an improvement in 2005, another by-product of the more thorough checks and tightened security at the checkpoints. The number of immigration offenders arrested at the checkpoints saw a 167 per cent increase from 600 in 2004 to 1,600 last year.
Total number of immigration offenders arrested at checkpoints
Year 2004 600
Year 2005 1,600
8. The marked increase can also be attributed to the successful implementation of the Biometric Database for Immigration Clearance system on 1 June 2005. This system captures the biometric details of former immigration offenders who had previously been arrested in Singapore and repatriated back to their home countries. With fingerprint matching, these former offenders get caught once again when they try to re-enter Singapore under another identity. More than 700 of these former immigration offenders who enter with another identity have been detected at the checkpoints through the system.
Illegal immigrants and overstayers
9. The total number of illegal immigrants arrested in 2005 fell by 15 per cent, from 5,400 in 2004 to 4,600 in 2005. The number of overstayers arrested also dropped for the first time since year 2000, registering a 14 per cent fall from 6,400 in 2004 to 5,500 in 2005.
Total number of illegal immigrants arrested
Year 2004 5,400
Year 2005 4,600
Total number of overstayers arrested
Year 2004 6,400
Year 2005 5,500
[Note: The above figures are inclusive of the number of immigration offenders arrested at the checkpoints.]
10. Helping ICA to keep the immigration offender situation under control is the Visa Electronic Transmission System (VETS). VETS enables the capturing and broadcasting of the particulars and visa application details of a successful visa applicant from visa issuance centers in our overseas missions and ICA Head Office to the Immigration Checkpoints clearance system. Visas issued contain enhanced security features, including the holder's facial image which is also uploaded into the checkpoints clearance system. ICA officers at the checkpoints can then verify that the visa and its holder are genuine before granting entry to the visitor and also ensure that the rightful holder of the visa leaves Singapore instead of another foreigner who may have overstayed or entered Singapore illegally.
11. ICA will be stepping up its efforts to ensure overstayers will face the full extent of the laws.
Harbourers and employers
12. ICA's efforts to raise public awareness of the offences associated with harbouring and employing immigration offenders continued to bear fruit in 2005. For example, public usage of VERIFI (VERIfication of Foreigner Immigration Status), ICA's e-service, increased by 31 per cent from 11,300 in 2004 to 14,800 in 2005. The amendments made to the Immigration Act in November 2005, such as the imposition of a mandatory imprisonment and fine on middlemen (i.e. housing agents and foreign labour agents who assist landlords to rent their premises) could also have an added deterrent effect on illegal harbouring.
13. As a result, the number of harbourers arrested in 2005 was 170, a 32 per cent drop from 250 in the previous year. The number of employers arrested for hiring immigration offenders also fell from 220 in 2004 to 170 in 2005.
Total number of harbourers arrested
Year 2004 250
Year 2005 170
Total number of employers arrested
Year 2004 220
Year 2005 170
Security is not negotiable
14. "Since Day One of ICA's formation, securing Singapore's borders is a non-negotiable item on our to-do list. ICA will continue to tighten checks at our checkpoints. We are also looking into boosting our arsenal of equipment, which includes high-tech scanners, to continue to stay ahead of lawbreakers," said Mr Eric Tan, the Commissioner of ICA.
Smuggling of contraband and illegal goods
2. Last year saw a 7 per cent decrease in the number of contraband smuggling cases detected at the checkpoints, falling from about 18,300 cases in 2004 to 17,000 in 2005.
Total number of contraband-smuggling cases detected
Year 2004 18,300
Year 2005 17,000
3. The fall can be attributed to the increased public awareness of the unlawful and prohibited items that cannot be brought into Singapore. ICA would like to thank the media for helping to bring our successful cases detected to public attention. The media reports on the thorough checks conducted by ICA may have also helped to deter potential smugglers.
170 per cent jump in number of cigarette packets seized
4. The smuggling of cigarette and tobacco products saw an increase in 2005. The number of cases detected rose from 6,500 in 2004 to 7,100. The number of cigarette packets seized also increased from about 132,300 to 357,200 packets - a 170 per cent jump.
Total number of cigarette smuggling cases detected
Year 2004 6,500
Year 2005 7,100
Total number of cigarette packets seized
Year 2004 132,300
Year 2005 357,200
67 per cent increase in illegal disc smuggling
5. Year 2005 also saw a 67 per cent increase in the number of illegal disc smuggling cases detected in 2005, increasing from 300 cases in 2004 to 500 cases in 2005. However, the number of discs seized fell from 177,700 in 2004 to 65,300 in 2005.
Total number of illegal disc smuggling cases detected
Year 2004 300
Year 2005 500
Total number of illegal discs seized
Year 2004 177,700
Year 2005 65,300
85 per cent drop in vehicles seized
6. Thanks to the enhanced checks at the land checkpoints, smugglers are now less willing to undertake conveyances. Hence, the number of vehicles seized for conveying immigration offenders registered a 85 per cent drop from 20 in 2004 to 3 in 2005.
Total number of vehicles seized
Year 2004 20
Year 2005 3
Immigration offender situation
Immigration offenders detected at checkpoints
7. The overall immigration offender situation registered an improvement in 2005, another by-product of the more thorough checks and tightened security at the checkpoints. The number of immigration offenders arrested at the checkpoints saw a 167 per cent increase from 600 in 2004 to 1,600 last year.
Total number of immigration offenders arrested at checkpoints
Year 2004 600
Year 2005 1,600
8. The marked increase can also be attributed to the successful implementation of the Biometric Database for Immigration Clearance system on 1 June 2005. This system captures the biometric details of former immigration offenders who had previously been arrested in Singapore and repatriated back to their home countries. With fingerprint matching, these former offenders get caught once again when they try to re-enter Singapore under another identity. More than 700 of these former immigration offenders who enter with another identity have been detected at the checkpoints through the system.
Illegal immigrants and overstayers
9. The total number of illegal immigrants arrested in 2005 fell by 15 per cent, from 5,400 in 2004 to 4,600 in 2005. The number of overstayers arrested also dropped for the first time since year 2000, registering a 14 per cent fall from 6,400 in 2004 to 5,500 in 2005.
Total number of illegal immigrants arrested
Year 2004 5,400
Year 2005 4,600
Total number of overstayers arrested
Year 2004 6,400
Year 2005 5,500
[Note: The above figures are inclusive of the number of immigration offenders arrested at the checkpoints.]
10. Helping ICA to keep the immigration offender situation under control is the Visa Electronic Transmission System (VETS). VETS enables the capturing and broadcasting of the particulars and visa application details of a successful visa applicant from visa issuance centers in our overseas missions and ICA Head Office to the Immigration Checkpoints clearance system. Visas issued contain enhanced security features, including the holder's facial image which is also uploaded into the checkpoints clearance system. ICA officers at the checkpoints can then verify that the visa and its holder are genuine before granting entry to the visitor and also ensure that the rightful holder of the visa leaves Singapore instead of another foreigner who may have overstayed or entered Singapore illegally.
11. ICA will be stepping up its efforts to ensure overstayers will face the full extent of the laws.
Harbourers and employers
12. ICA's efforts to raise public awareness of the offences associated with harbouring and employing immigration offenders continued to bear fruit in 2005. For example, public usage of VERIFI (VERIfication of Foreigner Immigration Status), ICA's e-service, increased by 31 per cent from 11,300 in 2004 to 14,800 in 2005. The amendments made to the Immigration Act in November 2005, such as the imposition of a mandatory imprisonment and fine on middlemen (i.e. housing agents and foreign labour agents who assist landlords to rent their premises) could also have an added deterrent effect on illegal harbouring.
13. As a result, the number of harbourers arrested in 2005 was 170, a 32 per cent drop from 250 in the previous year. The number of employers arrested for hiring immigration offenders also fell from 220 in 2004 to 170 in 2005.
Total number of harbourers arrested
Year 2004 250
Year 2005 170
Total number of employers arrested
Year 2004 220
Year 2005 170
Security is not negotiable
14. "Since Day One of ICA's formation, securing Singapore's borders is a non-negotiable item on our to-do list. ICA will continue to tighten checks at our checkpoints. We are also looking into boosting our arsenal of equipment, which includes high-tech scanners, to continue to stay ahead of lawbreakers," said Mr Eric Tan, the Commissioner of ICA.