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In the early hours of 08 Mar 2006, officers
from the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) conducted a
joint-operation with the Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority (AVA) and
raided 13 units in two Housing & Development Board (HDB) blocks in
Marsiling Estate. |
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A total of 33 immigration offenders who were
engaged in cockles shucking and six harbourers were arrested. |
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Under the cover of the night, ICA and AVA
officers positioned themselves around Marsiling Estate and laid in wait. |
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A lorry was soon spotted driving into the
estate. Bags of cockles were observed to be handed over to some
suspected immigration offenders who brought them back to the nearby
housing units. |
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The lorry was subsequently intercepted by
our officers a short distance away. ICA officers quickly moved to the
housing units in question and raided the units. |
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A short while later, a second lorry was seen
driving into the same estate and another transaction of cockles took
place. As it moved off, the second lorry was intercepted by our officers
and follow-up raids were made to the housing units. |
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A total of 146 kg of cockles and 450 kg of shucked
cockles were found on the two lorries. Another 157kg of cockles and 924kg of
shucked cockles were seized from the flats. All the cockles were seized and
destroyed by AVA. |
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The immigration offenders arrested were
aged between 22 & 53 years old. Preliminary investigations revealed
that the immigration offenders were paid a daily rate of $16 - $24
for shucking cockles. |
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The immigration offenders and the six
Singaporean harbourers have been referred to ICA and the Singapore
Police Force (SPF) for further investigations. |
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ICA takes a serious view of attempts by
foreigners to overstay or enter Singapore illegally. |
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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. |
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Under the AVA's Wholesome Meat and Fish
Act, any person who uses any premises or permit any premises to be
used as a processing establishment is liable on conviction to a fine
not exceeding $10,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12
months or to both. |
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ICA would also like to remind the public
that it is an offence to offer shelter and employment to immigration
offenders. Homeowners can make use of ICA's online checking system,
called 'VERIFI' (or Verification of Foreigner Immigration Status) to
verify the immigration passes of their prospective tenants. |
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VERIFI can be accessed through ICA's
internet website:
http://www.ica.gov.sg and allows users to receive an
instantaneous reply on the validity of the immigration passes
presented to them. |
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Similarly, MOM has a system to allow the
checking on the validity of work passes at its website:
http://www.mom.gov.sg. |
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Everyone has a part to play in keeping
Singapore safe and secure. We urge members of public with
information regarding immigration offenders to call ICA at Tel:
1800-391 6150 or contact the Police. |
END OF NEWS RELEASE
9 Mar 2006 |
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Source:
www.ica.gov.sg News Release 9
Mar 2006 |
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FrontPage Edition: Sun 12 Mar 2006
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