SINGAPORE: Four Indonesian men were arrested early on Saturday (17 May) for entering Singapore illegally by sea and possessing duty-unpaid cigarettes.
According to a joint press release by the Singapore Police Force (SPF) and the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) on 18 May, the men, aged between 28 and 50, were detected by the Police Coast Guard (PCG) at around 1.27am using a small craft to approach Singapore’s coastline.
They landed outside the fence line of Pulau Tekong, an area not designated for public entry.
In response, officers from the PCG, Gurkha Contingent, Special Operations Command, and the K-9 Unit moved in and arrested the four men, who were allegedly found without valid travel documents.
They were apprehended outside the protected areas of Pulau Tekong.
Authorities also seized 2,700 packets of assorted duty-unpaid cigarettes found in their possession.
A fibreglass boat fitted with an outboard motor, believed to have been used in the illegal entry, was also confiscated.
The four men were charged in court on Monday (19 May) under Section 6(1)(c) of the Immigration Act 1959 for unlawful entry into Singapore.
Those convicted of this offence face up to six months’ jail and a minimum of three strokes of the cane.
PCG Commander, Senior Assistant Commissioner of Police Ang Eng Seng, praised the officers involved for their vigilance and swift response.
He said the joint operation with ICA demonstrated the collaborative efforts between agencies to safeguard Singapore’s territorial waters and sea borders from crime and security threats, including unauthorised entry.
“Anyone who plays a part in such unlawful entry or departure from Singapore will face the full brunt of the law,” he added.
In a similar case in 2023, the SPF apprehended two Indonesian men in their thirties for illegally entering Singapore by sea. The suspects, aged 36 and 33, were found without valid travel documents.
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