Four Indonesian men were arrested by the police for unlawful entry into Singapore and possession of duty-unpaid cigarettes.
The Police Coast Guard (PCG) detected these men entering the country unlawfully from the sea through a small craft and they landed outside the fence line of Pulau Tekong, Singapore on May 17.
In a joint operation with the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA), the Singapore Police Force have arrested the four Indonesian men, aged between 28 and 50, for unlawful entry and possession of duty-unpaid cigarettes.
The authorities issued a press release and said, “Following the detection, officers from PCG, the Gurkha Contingent, the Special Operations Command and K-9 Unit immediately responded and successfully arrested the four unarmed Indonesian men who disembarked from the craft.”
“The men were detained outside the protected areas of Pulau Tekong. They were allegedly found without any travel documents and in possession of uncustomed goods. A total of 2,700 packets of assorted duty-unpaid cigarettes, and one fiber-glass craft, which was fitted with one outboard motor, were seized in the operation,” the statement added.
The four Indonesian men have been charged for the offence of unlawful entry into Singapore under Section 6(1)(c) of the Immigration Act 1959. In Singapore, the offence carries a jail term of up to six months and a minimum of three strokes of the cane.
The PCG and Singapore Customs are handling the investigations.
Commander of the Police Coast Guard, Senior Assistant Commissioner of Police Ang Eng Seng said, “The joint operation with ICA exemplifies the collaborative efforts to safeguard Singapore Territorial Waters and Singapore’s sea borders against crime and security threats, including unauthorised entry into and departure from Singapore.”
“Anyone who plays a part in such unlawful entry or departure from Singapore, such as ferrying the illegal immigrants to or from the place of arrival or departure, will face the full brunt of the law. I would also like to commend all responding officers for their vigilance and exemplary teamwork, which resulted in the swift arrest,” concluded the ACP.
