The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) recently updated on their Facebook page of an attempt by two Malaysian registered lorries to smuggle in fresh vegetables, and also processed foods and vegetables into Singapore.

Their attempt however, was foiled by ICA officers on duty together with the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) when they found out that the consignment volume and permit that was declared did not tally.

Here is the post by ICA

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗲𝘀 𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗲… 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘂𝗻𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗳𝗿𝘂𝗶𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘃𝗲𝗴𝗲𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲𝘀

On 28 Feb 2023, ICA conducted a joint operation with the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) at Woodlands Checkpoint, and foiled an attempt to smuggle illegal import of fresh vegetables, and processed fruits and vegetables into Singapore via two Malaysia-registered lorries.

ICA officers first noticed that the high consignment volume did not tally with the permit declared, and directed the lorries to SFA for enhanced checks. Approximately 230kg of undeclared, and under-declared fruits and vegetables were uncovered.

In Singapore, fruits and vegetables can only be imported by licensed importers, and every consignment must be declared and accompanied with a valid permit.

Illegal imported food produce from unknown sources can pose a food safety risk, when unregulated or high level of pesticides are used. The case has been referred to the SFA for further investigation.

As Guardians of Our Borders, ICA is committed to facilitating trade & safe travels while keeping Singapore’s borders safe & secure.

Image source: Immigration and Checkpoints Authority

A 30-year-old woman, Mrs Low, and her baby were trapped inside a nursing room at HomeTeamNS Bedok Reservoir for almost 3 hours on Monday after the lock dislodged.

She was with her husband getting takeaway dinner there when she needed to nurse her baby, before going into a nursing room with her baby on the second floor at about 7.30 pm while her husband waited outside.

However, when she was done and tried to leave the nursing room, she realised that the door is stuck.

Her 32-year-old husband then hurriedly went to the clubhouse staff for help and a representative from the management office then arrived and told him that they didn’t have the master key for the door.

Turns out the master key was with an external vendor at the time because they were previously performing minor rectification work on the alignment of the door.

The vendor later arrived with the master about 1 hour after Mrs Low had gone into the nursing room, but it failed to work because the locking mechanism was jammed.

They then tried other ways of opening the door to free the trapped mother and child, including attempting to saw the lock open.

Mr Low said that he had initially thought that they would bring in power tools, but they brought a metal saw instead, and it didn’t work. He added that they also tried to use a metal ruler to cut open the door.

The door also couldn’t be dismantled and taken apart because it had to be done from the inside.

Left with no other options, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) was called in at about 9.40 pm and they arrived within 5 minutes and opened the door with their tools in 15 minutes.

Low said that luckily he was outside at the time, “if there was no one around, how would anyone know if there’s someone stuck inside?”

Following the incident, Low said that his wife has been having nightmares occasionally and developed a phobia of going into enclosed spaces, such as lifts.

A spokesperson for HomeTeamNS said that the lock on the door had gotten dislodged and that it was the first time that something like this happened. They added that the lock had not been faulty before the incident.

An emergency contact has since been placed inside the nursing room by the management, with the nursing room doors also being replaced by a “more user-friendly” option.

They also added that they will “continue to revise and strengthen our internal procedures to prevent the occurrence of similar incidents”.

A 22-year-old man was allegedly stabbed in the early hours of Friday along Aliwal Street in Kampong Gelam, and 2 suspects have since been arrested.

The Singapore Police Force (CPF) in a statement that they were alerted to the incident on Friday (17 March) at about 2.57am.

When officers arrived at the scene, the victim was found with lacerations on his right chest and was sent to Tan Tock Seng Hospital conscious.

The two male suspects who allegedly stabbed the victim, aged 22 and 23, were identified by police officers through follow up investigations and the use of police and CCTV cameras.

They were subsequently arrested and will be charged in court today (18 March) for voluntarily causing grievous hurt by dangerous weapon under Section 326 of the Penal Code. If found guilty, they face either life imprisonment of imprison for up to 15 years with caning and/or a fine.

The Singapore Police Force added that “the Police take a zero tolerance approach towards such acts of violence and will not hesitate to take action against those who blatantly disregard the law.”

Violent crimes in Singapore

Singapore is widely known for its safety and low crime rate. However, like any other country, Singapore does have incidents of violent crime, including stabbing cases.

According to the Singapore Police Force’s Annual Crime Brief, the number of reported cases of stabbing and related offenses in 2020 decreased by 21.4% compared to the previous year. However, that does not mean that the issue of stabbing is not a concern for the government and the public.

In response to these incidents, the Singapore government has implemented stringent laws and regulations to ensure public safety.

For instance, the Penal Code of Singapore states that anyone who commits murder or voluntary causing grievous hurt by dangerous weapons, including knives and sharp objects, shall be punished with life imprisonment or death.

Additionally, carrying any weapon or sharp object in a public place without a valid reason is considered an offense in Singapore, and those found guilty may face imprisonment and fines.

Moreover, community engagement and awareness play an essential role in reducing the number of stabbing incidents in Singapore. The Singapore Police Force collaborates with grassroots organizations and volunteers to conduct outreach programs and campaigns that promote safe and harmonious neighborhoods. The community is encouraged to report any suspicious or violent behavior to the police and to intervene if they witness any acts of violence.