Z
Zhuge Liang
Guest
Jan 31, 2011
10 year-low in immigration offences: ICA
The Immigration & Checkpoint Authority reported a 10-year low in foreigners arrested for immigration offences. -- PHOTO: ICA
THE number of foreigners arrested for immigration offences has hit a ten-year low, the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) said on Monday.
In 2010, the total number of foreigners arrested for immigration offences fell by 23 per cent to 4,260 compared to the previous year. The number of people arrested for harbouring or employing illegal immigrants has also fallen, by four and 48 per cent respectively.
Attempts by immigration offenders to leave Singapore illegally via vehicles were also thwarted, with 18 vehicles used by illegal foreigners seized by the ICA - more than double the eight seized in 2009.
All but three of the 18 vehicles seized were cars, of which only one was Singapore-registered. Contraband smuggling detections also saw a 28 per cent increase over the previous year, with 67,600 instances compared to 2009's 52,800.
Contraband cigarette smuggling was the most common offence, with one in every four detected cases of smuggling involving cigarettes.
Commissioner of the ICA, Clarence Yeo, said: 'ICA's remarkable results over the last 12 months have proven once again that our multi-pronged efforts in containing the immigration offender situation have been effective.
'ICA officers will stay vigilant and resolute against adversaries attempting to enter our country illegally.'
