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25 Immigration Offenders Ferreted Out in Forest Operation
Welcome' is certainly not something that ICA officers will say to the immigration offenders (IOs) in this country. Instead, it is a determined 'we'll come', demonstrating our resolve to go after and weed out all IOs from Singapore. On 27 Jul 2005 at 0330 hours, 25 IOs found out that hiding deep in a forested area off Bukit Batok Road would not stop ICA and Police officers from tracking them down.
2 Acting on intelligence gathered, ICA and Police officers conducted a joint operation to catch these IOs. Under the cover of the night, our officers made their way stealthily towards the hideouts of these IOs, encircling them in the process. The officers had to contend with the heavily vegetated, uneven and slippery terrain before they reached the makeshift tents and shelters that the IOs were staying in. Once the hideouts were within sight, the officers moved in swiftly and arrested the IOs staying there. There was little resistance as most of the IOs were sleeping then. A few alert ones who had tried to escape were caught by our officers. Our officers found the living conditions to be very poor and there were cooking utensils, boxes and clothes strewn all over the place. 22 of the IOs arrested were male nationals from Myanmar. Their ages range from 19 to 51 years old. The other three IOs were a male (27 years old) and two female (24 and 50 years old) nationals from Thailand.
3 ICA takes a serious view of attempts by foreigners to overstay or enter 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.
4 ICA would also like to remind the public that it is an offence to offer shelter and employment to immigration offenders. Homeowners can make use of ICA's online checking system, called "VERIFI" (or Verification of Foreigner Immigration Status) to verify the immigration passes of their prospective tenants. VERIFI can be accessed through ICA?s internet website: http://www.ica.gov.sg and allows users to receive an instantaneous reply on the validity of the immigration passes presented to them. Similarly, MOM has a system to allow the checking on the validity of work passes at its website: http://www.mom.gov.sg. Everyone has a part to play in keeping Singapore safe and secure. We urge members of public with information regarding immigration offenders to call ICA at Tel: 1800-391 6150 or contact the Police.
END OF NEWS RELEASE
Immigration & Checkpoints Authority
28 Jul 2005
2 Acting on intelligence gathered, ICA and Police officers conducted a joint operation to catch these IOs. Under the cover of the night, our officers made their way stealthily towards the hideouts of these IOs, encircling them in the process. The officers had to contend with the heavily vegetated, uneven and slippery terrain before they reached the makeshift tents and shelters that the IOs were staying in. Once the hideouts were within sight, the officers moved in swiftly and arrested the IOs staying there. There was little resistance as most of the IOs were sleeping then. A few alert ones who had tried to escape were caught by our officers. Our officers found the living conditions to be very poor and there were cooking utensils, boxes and clothes strewn all over the place. 22 of the IOs arrested were male nationals from Myanmar. Their ages range from 19 to 51 years old. The other three IOs were a male (27 years old) and two female (24 and 50 years old) nationals from Thailand.
3 ICA takes a serious view of attempts by foreigners to overstay or enter 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.
4 ICA would also like to remind the public that it is an offence to offer shelter and employment to immigration offenders. Homeowners can make use of ICA's online checking system, called "VERIFI" (or Verification of Foreigner Immigration Status) to verify the immigration passes of their prospective tenants. VERIFI can be accessed through ICA?s internet website: http://www.ica.gov.sg and allows users to receive an instantaneous reply on the validity of the immigration passes presented to them. Similarly, MOM has a system to allow the checking on the validity of work passes at its website: http://www.mom.gov.sg. Everyone has a part to play in keeping Singapore safe and secure. We urge members of public with information regarding immigration offenders to call ICA at Tel: 1800-391 6150 or contact the Police.
END OF NEWS RELEASE
Immigration & Checkpoints Authority
28 Jul 2005