8 Men Arrested for Illegally Entering S’pore Via a Fibreglass Boat

Trying to enter Singapore illegally is like opening the Netflix app right before bed and going to sleep without watching anything; you can try it, but you will most certainly fail.

Despite this, many have tried to enter the country through illicit means, usually through the waters off Singapore.

And once they’re spotted, they’re in for a whole heap of trouble.

8 Men Arrested for Illegally Entering S’pore Via a Fibreglass Boat

At about 2:30am last night (27 Aug), the Police Coast Guard’s surveillance system detected something odd – eight people jumping off a boat into the waters off Tuas.

Now, this was strange not because these men were swimming while most people were asleep or still watching Netflix shows, but because they were trying to enter Singapore illegally.

After jumping off the boat, which was later discovered to be made of fibreglass, the men swam towards the shore.

However, they never made it.

“Following the detection, officers from the Police Coast Guard, with the assistance of officers from Jurong Police Division, Gurkha Contingent and Special Operations Command, were immediately deployed and successfully arrested the eight men,” the police said.

The eight men were aged between 21 and 55. The fibreglass boat was seized as a case exhibit.

Image: SPF

The eight men are expected to be charged in court today with unlawful entry into Singapore.

The offence carries a penalty of up to six months in prison and at least three strokes of the cane.

Five Men Arrested Illegal Entry Two Months Earlier

Just two months ago, another group of men was arrested for attempting to enter Singapore through illegal means.

At 4:45am on 24 June, when old uncles were getting up for their morning walk, the Police Coast Guard’s surveillance system detected suspicious activity.

Five men were believed to be swimming towards the shore of Lube Park Jetty in Tuas.

Once again, officers from several divisions and agencies were deployed and successfully apprehended the men before they made it to their destination.

The men were aged between 21 and 38.

Indonesian Who Tried to Enter Singapore Illegally Later Tested Positive for COVID-19

It’s one thing to enter Singapore illegally, but to later test positive for COVID-19, well, that’s just not going to end well for you.

Earlier in June this year, the 26-year-old man was part of a group of five who tried to swim towards Singapore via waters off Changi to enter the country illegally.

After they were arrested, all were placed in individual lock-up cells and swabbed.

The 26-year-old ended up testing positive for the coronavirus, and was eventually sent to the hospital.

Talk about bad luck.

This is why you should get vaccinated to protect yourself from carriers. Watch this video to learn more about COVID-19 vaccination:

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Featured Image: SPF