SINGAPORE: Two Malaysian women were arrested on Monday (Aug 5) after they were caught trying to smuggle a man out of Singapore in the boot of a car, said the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA).
ICA officers found the man in the boot of a Malaysia-registered car when they stopped the vehicle for checks at the Woodlands Checkpoint at about 8.20pm.
The car was driven by a 28-year-old Malaysian woman, who was accompanied by a 33-year-old Malaysian woman, said ICA in the media release.
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The Malaysia-registered car involved in the case. (Photo: ICA)
“The officers immediately placed the man and the two women under arrest,” said the authority.
The man, who did not have any travel documents, was a 31-year-old Bangladeshi national.
Investigations are ongoing.
“The ICA takes a serious view of attempts to enter or depart Singapore illegally,” it said.
Under the Immigration Act, those found guilty of illegal entry may face up to six months’ jail and a minimum of three strokes of the cane.
The penalty for illegal departure is six months’ jail, a fine of up to S$1,000 or both.
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Anyone convicted of engaging in the business of conveying prohibited immigrants out of Singapore will face two to five years in jail and a minimum of three strokes of the cane.
The vehicles used in such offences are liable to be forfeited, said ICA.
This is not the first reported attempt to smuggle a person in a car boot this year. Four Malaysians had been arrested for trying to take a Myanmar national out of Singapore on Feb 28.
