In a shocking incident that unfolded on Friday, October 13th, a man was arrested for allegedly making a bomb threat on a cruise ship that was berthed at the Marina Bay Cruise Centre, and was charged in court earlier today, according to The Straits Times.
The man, 39-year-old Neo Hui Ghim, had sent an email titled “Bomb at Resorts World Cruises” to the customer service department of Resorts World Cruises, and told them to “return me back my monies else the ship will explode and everyone dropped into the sea (SIC)”.
The Bomb Threat
At 4:03 pm on Friday, the Singapore Police Force received an alert from a cruise operator regarding a bomb threat on a cruise ship berthed at the Marina Bay Cruise Centre.
The police then worked with the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA), and security officers from the Marina Bay Cruise Centre to conduct checks on the ship, but found no threatening items on board.
Investigation and Arrest
Through a series of follow-up investigations, police officers from the Central Police Division managed to establish the identity of the suspect, leading to the prompt arrest of Neo Hui Ghim within three hours.
Subsequent to his arrest, Neo was remanded at the Institute of Mental Health for a comprehensive medical examination to determine his mental state.
Impact on Cruise Operations
The repercussions of the bomb threat extended beyond the immediate panic and arrest. As a result of the additional security checks and the need to ensure the safety of all passengers, cruise operations were temporarily halted.
This led to a two-hour delay in the boarding process, affecting approximately 4,000 passengers who were eagerly anticipating their cruise experience.
Law Enforcement’s Stance
The police made it clear that they take all security threats seriously. They are committed to swift action against anyone who causes public alarm with false threats.
Beyond the fear and inconvenience caused to other members of the public, the making of false threats comes at a cost of public resources that have to be deployed to deal with the incident.
Singapore Police Statement
On 13 October 2023 at 4.03pm, the Police were alerted by a cruise operator to an alleged bomb threat onboard a cruise ship berthed at Marina Bay Cruise Centre. In response to the threat, the Police, together with the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) and security officers from Marina Bay Cruise Centre conducted extensive security checks on the cruise ship. No threat items were found onboard the cruise ship.
Through follow-up investigations, officers from Central Police Division swiftly established the identity of the suspect and arrested a 39-year-old man within three hours of the reported bomb threat. The man will be charged on 14 October 2023 for an offence of communicating false information of a harmful thing under Section 268A of the Penal Code 1871. The offence carries an imprisonment term of up to seven years, a fine which may extend to $50,000, or both.
As a result of the additional security checks on the cruise ship, operations were halted, causing a two-hour delay to the boarding process. An estimated 4,000 passengers were affected.
The Police treat all security threats seriously and will not hesitate to take action against anyone who causes public alarm with false threats. Beyond the fear and inconvenience caused to other members of the public, the making of false threats comes at a cost of public resources that have to be deployed to deal with the incident.
PUBLIC AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT
SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE
14 October 2023 @ 8:35 AM