immgration offenders
Some of the immgration offenders arrested in the operation

 

Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) announced in a press statement yesterday that 29 persons were arrested for various offences during its an inland operation around Singapore conducted on 9 June 2015.

Among those arrested, 26 of them were immigration offenders from China and India, aged between 26 and 62 years old. Most of them had overstayed in Singapore. As for the remaining three persons, one work permit holder was caught for being in possession of duty-unpaid cigarettes and two other persons were arrested for suspected harbouring offences. Investigations are still ongoing.

ICA reiterates in its press statement that it takes a serious view of attempts to overstay, enter or depart Singapore illegally.

Under the Immigration Act (Cap 133), the penalties for overstaying or illegal entry are; a jail term of up to six months plus a minimum of three strokes of the cane, while the penalties for illegal departure is a fine of up to $2,000, a jail term of up to six months, or both.

Homeowners are advised to exercise due diligence in checking the status of their prospective foreign tenants to ensure that their status in Singapore is legal. Those who wish to rent their premises to foreigners are required to conduct the three mandatory checks: (a) Check his/her original immigration/work pass; (b) Cross check the particulars on his/her pass against the particulars on his/her original passport; and (c) Verify the validity of his/her pass by checking with the issuing authority.

If the homeowner is found guilty of recklessly (i.e. carrying out only one of the three due diligence checks) or knowingly harbouring overstayers and/or illegal immigrants, he may be sentenced to imprisonment for a term not less than six months and not more than two years and a fine not exceeding S$6,000. If a homeowner is found guilty of negligently (i.e. carrying out only two of the three due diligence checks) harbouring overstayers and/or illegal immigrants, he may be sentenced to a fine not exceeding S$6,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months or to both.

Subscribe
Notify of
1 Comment
Newest
Oldest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
You May Also Like

Release of 2018 O-Level results and 2019 Joint Admissions Exercise on coming Monday

The results of the 2018 Singapore-Cambridge General Certificate of Education Ordinary Level…

Jarrod Luo resigns from SDP

~by: Cheong Yaoming and Ng Yi Shu~ Jarrod Luo Singapore Democratic Party's (SDP) candidate for…

军人闯砂边界绑架五平民 印尼认错保证不重演

马国砂拉越的马印边界地区,惊传印尼军人闯入砂拉越境内,持械绑架五名砂拉越平民。他们先释放两人,再索要赎金,经马国军方斡旋后,最终另三人皆获释放。 根据《新海峡时报星期刊》报导,五名砂拉越人是在本月11日,是在毗邻印尼边界的Balai Ringin的甘榜Danau Melikin的森林收集木材,当地距离印尼加里曼丹边界仅400公尺。 他们遭到两名身穿军装迷彩服的男子伏击,他们身上有5.56毫米的Pindad SS-1突击步枪,是印尼国防部的标准武器装备。 被迫承认偷盗木材 五人全被捆绑,人质年龄介于15至64岁。他们被押往印尼境内的双溪恩特里哨站,还被迫承认偷印尼木材,头上被盖上黑色帽子。间中,印尼军人被指拿枪指着人质,还对空中开了两枪。 人质后来向警方投诉,除了背部和腿部遭军人鞭打,他们还被役使前往河边,帮军人收集食用水。 五名人质中,其中一对兄弟在11日下午四时左右就被释放,但另三人还在印尼军人的哨站过夜。被释放者被要求告知家属,需准备一万令吉赎金和两个新电锯。 马军方介入谈判  隔天人质即获释…

No logic in death – Happy 24th Birthday Vui Kong

The friends of Yong Vui Kong celebrated his 24th birthday at the…