Two arrested for trying to swim out of Singapore illegally
Two Malaysian men attempted to leave Singapore illegally by swimming to Malaysia while using trash bags to hide themselves, the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) said in a news release on Wednesday.
The two were discovered when officers at the Woodlands Checkpoint spotted two black trash bags floating near the shoreline along the Causeway at 4.40am on Wednesday morning.
The two, aged 37 and 39, were trying to swim to Malaysia while holding the trash bags over their heads. They were immediately arrested.
Preliminary investigations showed that the two men had overstayed in Singapore, said the ICA.
The penalty for overstaying or illegal entry into Singapore are a jail term of up to six months plus a minimum of three strokes of a cane.
The penalty for illegal departure is a fine of up to $2,000, a jail term of up to six months, or both.
Investigations are ongoing.
