Updated: 10/16/2013 19:00 | By Channel NewsAsia
Human smugglers jailed for attempt to smuggle man to Batam
SINGAPORE: Singapore's Police Coast Guard (PCG) and Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) have smashed a human smuggling syndicate in a joint operation.
The syndicate, who tried to smuggle a Sri Lankan man from Singapore to Batam in Indonesia, consisted of seven Indonesian men and a Singaporean man, who were all jailed.
On July 17 at 9.45pm, officers from PCG and ICA checked a craft at the sea off Jurong Port and found a man hiding inside a wooden crate.
Seven Indonesian men were subsequently arrested for trying to smuggle the immigration offender to Batam.
A joint statement said the seven men are Kamaruzzaman, Basarudin, Muhammad Syarman, Rahman Bada, Ranto Parulian Purba, Razali Abdul Samad and Zabir.
Within 20 hours of the arrests, investigations by PCG led to the arrest of a 55-year-old Singaporean man, Kassim Sahak.
Kassim had transported the immigration offender in a lorry to the vessel.
The immigration offender was Rasnayaka Mudiyanselage Manjula Bandara, a 28-year-old Sri Lankan.
All of the nine arrested were charged in court on July 19.
On August 2, Rasnayaka was tried and sentenced to one month's jail for unlawful departure, and three months' jail and six strokes of the cane for overstaying in Singapore.
By September 23, all seven Indonesians were convicted of one charge of engaging in a business of conveying a prohibited immigrant out of Singapore unlawfully.
Two other similar charges were taken into consideration during sentencing.
Each was sentenced to two years' jail and three strokes of the cane.
Rahman Bada, one of the seven men, was sentenced to another four years' jail for breaking the Prohibition Entry Order.
In total, he was sentenced to six years’ jail and three strokes of the cane.
On October 9, Kassim was convicted of the charge for engaging in a business of conveying a prohibited immigrant out of Singapore unlawfully.
Two other similar charges were taken into consideration during sentencing.
He was sentenced to jail for two years and 9 months. - CNA/nd
