Four Indonesian men have been charged with unlawfully entering Singapore by sea after being caught with thousands of duty-unpaid cigarettes near Pulau Tekong.
Midnight Arrest Operation on Pulau Tekong Shores
The Police Coast Guard (PCG) detected the men in a small craft near Pulau Tekong at 1.27am on 17 May 2025.
The four men had entered Singapore’s waters on a fiberglass craft and landed outside the fence line of Pulau Tekong.
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A swift response from officers of the PCG, Gurkha Contingent, Special Operations Command, and K-9 Unit led to their immediate arrest as they disembarked from the vessel.
The suspects were detained outside the protected areas of Pulau Tekong.
Authorities found the men without any travel documents and carrying uncustomed goods.
Officers seized 2,700 packets of assorted duty-unpaid cigarettes that had been wrapped for concealment.
The fiberglass craft, fitted with one outboard motor, was also confiscated during the operation.
Indonesian Suspects Face Criminal Charges and Caning
The four Indonesian nationals have been identified as Ripan, 28; Mahyudin, 32; Asmin Alexander, 50; and Ridwan Akarin, 50. Both Ripan and Mahyudin go by only one name.
All four men were charged in court on 19 May 2025 under Section 6(1)(c) of the Immigration Act 1959 for unlawful entry into Singapore.
Their cases will be mentioned again in court on 26 May 2025.
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If convicted, the men face up to six months’ jail and a minimum of three strokes of the cane.
The investigations are currently being handled jointly by PCG and Singapore Customs.
PCG Commander, Senior Assistant Commissioner of Police Ang Eng Seng, praised the officers involved for their “vigilance and exemplary teamwork” that made the swift arrest possible.
He added that the joint operation shows the efforts to guard Singapore’s territory against threats.
“Anyone who plays a part in such unlawful entry or departure from Singapore, such as ferrying the illegal immigrants to or from the place of arrival or departure, will face the full brunt of the law,” he said.
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