SINGAPORE: The number of contraband cases detected at Singapore’s checkpoints in 2018 was the highest annual figure recorded, the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) said on Wednesday (Feb 27).
The number of cases spiked by 19 per cent from 90,327 in 2017 to 107,771 in 2018, with an average of about 300 cases per day.
The increase in cases was mainly due to the higher number of contraband cases detected at the land checkpoints, said ICA in its annual report.
Lorry and heavy commercial vehicles such as bowsers and trailers were one of the most common modes of transport for contraband items.
“This is of concern because the sheer size of such vehicles allows large quantities of contraband items or even security-sensitive materials such as toxic industrial chemicals and explosives to be concealed within the consignments or the modified compartments of these vehicles,” said the authority.
ICA said that it has addressed these challenges by using radiographic scanners to scan cargo vehicles.
Bus scanners were also implemented at Tuas Checkpoint last year, it added.
“These scanners are able to screen huge buses and cargo vehicles, allowing us to identify secret compartments and contraband items more effectively and quickly,” said ICA.
The Malaysia-registered prime mover used to smuggle the duty-unpaid cigarettes. (Photo: Immigration and Checkpoints Authority)
The report highlighted a case on May 18 last year when anomalies were detected from scanned images of a Malaysia-registered prime mover.
During further checks of its consignment, ICA officers found 6,000 cartons of duty-unpaid cigarettes which were concealed among printer parts and roller scanners.
MORE HARBOURERS, EMPLOYERS OF IMMIGRATION OFFENDERS ARRESTED
The number of harbourers and employers of immigration offenders (IO) arrested last year also increased by about 13 per cent to 340 compared to 300 in 2017, said ICA.
The harbourers and employers arrested were primarily Singaporeans or Permanent Residents above the age of 50.
“They had mostly failed to conduct the necessary checks on the foreigners’ immigration statuses, in their bid to earn rental income,” said ICA.
“IOs who are undocumented present a security risk and may resort to crimes to sustain their livelihood.”
The report noted a case last year where two male Chinese nationals, Xu Xiangjie and Song Weijia, aged 35 and 23 years old, were jailed for six months’ each for harbouring two immigration offenders.
Another male Chinese national, 32-year-old Ma Zhiwen, was also found culpable of providing shelters to the offenders and signing the tenancy agreement for the housing unit. He was also jailed for six months.
Separately, the number of immigration offenders arrested dropped in 2018 by about 8.9 per cent to 1,071 from 1,176 the previous year.
The number of arrests of both illegal immigrants and overstayers fell, the report said.
ICA attributed the dip partly to its biometric identification system that scans travellers’ fingerprints and has been progressively implemented across all checkpoints since 2016.
“This measure has denied and further deterred such persons from entering Singapore,” the authority said.
ICA said it has also maintained its inland enforcement efforts and keep the situation under control. Its officers conducted an average of more than 100 raids per month in 2017 and 2018.
LESS SHAM MARRIAGES
Fewer people were convicted for entering into sham marriages last year, added the report.
In 2018, there was a 40 per cent decrease with 32 people convicted for marriage of convenience-related offences from 53 people in the previous year, said ICA.
In 2017, sham marriages were up by 23 per cent from the previous year.
