Two Malaysian women arrested

Tight spot: ICA officers at Woodlands Checkpoint found the man hiding in the car boot.

SINGAPORE: The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) arrested two Malaysians for attempting to illegally smuggle a man out of Singapore.

At around 8.20pm on Monday, ICA officers stopped a departing Malaysian car for checks at Woodlands Checkpoint.

The driver was a 28-year-old Malaysian woman and she was accompanied by a 33-year-old female Malaysian passenger, the authority said.

While conducting checks, a man was found hiding in the car boot. The illegal passenger, a 31-year-old Bangladeshi, did not have any travel documents.

The man and the two women were immediately arrested.

Investigations are ongoing, the ICA said.

Penalties for illegal entry into the country are a jail term of up to six months and at least three strokes of the cane, while penalties for illegal departures are a fine of up to S$1, 000 (RM3, 000), a jail term of up to six months, or both.

Offenders engaging in illegal business of taking prohibited immigrants out of Singapore would face a jail term of between two and five years and at least three strokes of the cane. The vehicles used would also be forfeited. — The Straits Times/Asia News Network