Woman caught for trying to enter Singapore illegally

SINGAPORE: A Chinese female national who tried to enter Singapore illegally was caught at the Woodlands Checkpoint on Wednesday.

The woman had some help from a Singaporean male driver, who hid her in the boot of his car.

The lone driver was asked to step out of the car so that officers from the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) could examine his vehicle.

The car boot was loaded with common items such as a tricycle, shopping bags and toys.

ICA officers spotted two black trash bags lying adjacent to each other in the boot and suspected something could be hidden beneath them.

They found the woman crouched underneath the trash bags.

The driver and the woman were arrested.

The ICA takes a serious view of attempts to overstay, enter or depart Singapore illegally.

The penalties for overstaying or illegal entry are a jail term of up to six months and a minimum of three strokes of the cane, while the penalties for illegal departure is a fine of up to S$2,000, a jail term of up to six months, or both.

— CNA/xq