On February 22, at approximately 8:30 am, the Woodlands Checkpoint in Singapore experienced a disruption in its bus hall when the panic alarm was triggered, leading to a lockdown of the area and a backup of travelers entering the country via that route. The cause of the alarm activation is not specified in the report.
The incident resulted in long queues of travelers on the second floor and ground floor, waiting to clear immigration. However, those arriving in private vehicles such as cars or motorcycles were not affected by the lockdown.
Several travelers took to social media to share photos and videos of the situation, with some stating that they had to abandon their travel plans due to the extensive queues. A traveler named Lim, who was about to scan his passport at the kiosk, reported that several officers began searching for Myanmar nationals. He witnessed four men and a woman being taken away for questioning.
Several Facebook users also noted that officers were searching for travelers holding Myanmar passports. One user, Kenny Lim, shared that he was detained for 20 minutes, and the second floor was crowded with waiting travelers. He added that travelers had to present their passports to officers before being permitted to proceed.
The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) confirmed the incident and stated that the panic alarm was activated at around 8:30 am, causing operations to cease in the immigration area while officers investigated the matter. The ICA spokesperson said that clearance at the affected area resumed at about 9 am, following the completion of investigations.
However, the spokesperson did not provide any information regarding possible arrests made during the incident. The temporary halt in operations was necessary to ensure that investigations could be carried out smoothly without jeopardizing public safety and security.
The report does not provide further details on the reasons behind the panic alarm activation or the fate of the Myanmar nationals who were taken away for questioning. The incident highlights the importance of security measures in place at checkpoints and the need for travelers to cooperate with authorities during such situations.