SINGAPORE, Oct 15 — A Malaysian bus driver was arrested for attempting to smuggle a man out of Singapore in a luggage compartment, according to Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA).
ICA said its officers stopped a departing Malaysia-registered bus driven by the 37-year-old man for checks at the Tuas checkpoint on October 14, at about 9.20pm.
“The officers spoke to the driver and noticed that he was visibly nervous. Sensing something amiss, the officers conducted thorough checks of the bus and found a man hiding in the luggage compartment,” it said in a statement today.
ICA said preliminary investigations revealed that the “illegal passenger” was a 25-year-old male Indian national who was due to appear in Court for a case.
The driver was promised S$700 (RM2,100) by an unknown agent if he successfully conveyed the male Indian national out of Singapore illegally, it said.
According to the statement, the driver and the man (illegal passenger) would be charged in court on October 16, for offences under the Immigration Act.
The ICA takes a serious view of attempts by foreigners who overstay, enter or depart 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, while the penalties for illegal departure is a fine of up to S$2,000, a jail term of up to six months, or both.
“Our borders are our first line of defence in safeguarding Singapore’s security,” it said.
The ICA will continue to conduct security checks on passengers and vehicles at the checkpoints to prevent attempts to smuggle in undesirable persons, drugs, weapons, explosives and other contrabands. — Bernama
