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A Malaysian man hid inside a truck container attempting to enter Singapore illegally.
Still, he was discovered and arrested on the spot by Singapore’s Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) officers at the checkpoint.
The ICA posted on Facebook last night, stating that their enforcement officers had discovered a suspicious Malaysian-registered truck at Singapore’s Tuas Checkpoint the day before and had requested an enhanced inspection.
As a result, they found the man lying prone and hiding in a corner of the container, attempting to evade border control.
Heavy Penalties Await Immigration Violators
The truck driver, attendant, and the stowaway were all arrested for further investigation by the ICA enforcement team.
ICA emphasised that it takes a serious stance against any attempts to enter or exit Singapore illegally and will not hesitate to prosecute violators.
The post also noted that under Singapore’s Immigration Act 1959, those who illegally depart without a valid passport can be fined up to S$2,000 (approximately RM6,625), imprisoned for up to six months, or both upon conviction.
Those who assist others in illegal departure can be sentenced to imprisonment for six months to two years and fined up to S$6,000 (approximately RM19,875).
Vehicles involved in illegal activities may also be confiscated.
While there have been past attempts to smuggle contraband such as cigarettes and vapes at the Singapore-Malaysia checkpoint, human smuggling, let alone using a truck container, is perhaps unheard of at this border crossing, making this case particularly unusual for border enforcement authorities.
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