17 Aug 2004 at 0255 hours. Most Singaporeans would have called it a day and be found sleeping peacefully in their beds. Not so for the immigration offenders (IOs) in this country. No IO can sleep peacefully when they know that ICA officers who are fiercely dedicated to the cause of weeding out IOs are hot on their heels. A total of 58 IOs were caught by ICA officers during an operation along Admiralty Road West.

2 The IOs were arrested at a work yard where many containers were stacked up. The IOs were staying in some of these containers. The IOs arrested were male nationals from India. Their ages range from 20 to 49 years old.

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
17 Aug 2004