4 Malaysians arrested for trying to smuggle Myanmar woman hiding in car boot out of Singapore
Four Malaysians have been arrested for trying to ferry a Myanmar woman hiding in a car boot out of Singapore from Woodlands Checkpoint.
The Malaysians, aged between 29 and 42, were charged on Saturday (2 March) for the offence of engaging in the business of conveying prohibited immigrants out of Singapore, the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) said in a media release on Monday. The Myanmar national was charged for illegal entry and attempted illegal departure offences.
On 28 February, ICA officers stopped a Malaysia-registered car driven by a 42-year-old Malaysian woman for checks at the Woodlands Checkpoint. The car was carrying another female Malaysian passenger.
The officers found a third woman hiding in the car boot and she did not have any travel or identification document with her. She was established to be a Myanmar national.
ICA officers saw another Malaysia-registered car at the post-immigration area, with its engine still running. Suspecting that the car was involved with the one hiding the fugitive and might try to escape, the officers activated a lockdown of the checkpoint.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the drivers and passengers of both cars were in cahoots. The male driver and the female passenger in the second car were also found to be Malaysian.
The penalties for illegal entry are a jail term of up to six months and a minimum of three strokes of the cane, while penalties for illegal departure are a fine of up to $1,000, a jail term of up to six months, or both.
A person who is convicted of engaging in the business of conveying prohibited immigrants out of Singapore, will face a jail term of between two to five years and a minimum of three
strokes of the cane.
The vehicles used in such offences are liable to be forfeited.
