Woman's bid to breach Woodlands border foiled
Published 01.07.2015
Amir Hussain
A woman who tailgated a car in front of her to breach the Woodlands Checkpoint was arrested yesterday - after border officers smashed her vehicle's windows to get her out.
The Malaysian woman, 34, was found to have been trying to travel with expired travel documents. She had driven her Malaysia-registered pink Perodua Axia past immigration clearance at about 5.10am without stopping. An officer activated the alarm and the Arrival Car Zone within the checkpoint was immediately locked down.
The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) said yesterday: "When the officers requested the driver to switch off the engine and to unlock the vehicle, the driver refused to comply. Officers had to break both the front and rear passenger windows to escort the driver out of the vehicle."
Yesterday's incident came just a day after a 41-year-old Malaysian man was arrested at the same checkpoint. The Singapore permanent resident had driven a Singapore-registered dark grey Mercedes Kompressor past the immigration counter without stopping at about 3.50am on Monday.
The alarm was raised and the Arrival Car Zone locked down.
"The car was found at the Arrival Car Zone within the checkpoint and the driver was placed under immediate arrest," the ICA said.
The two incidents come a week after a Singaporean businessman allegedly sped off in a 7-series BMW sedan at the Tuas Checkpoint after he was stopped for checks.
On June 23, Mohamed Dawood Abdul Sukkur, 47, had reportedly cleared immigration and proceeded to the Customs Red Channel to declare boxes of curry puffs and kueh (local pastries) from Malaysia. Checks found there were discrepancies in the quantities declared.
He was directed to a designated inspection bay for further checks but purportedly drove off instead. He allegedly drove at 142kmh within a confined security checkpoint area with a speed limit of 15kmh.
He was charged last Friday with committing a rash act to endanger the personal safety of others.
The ICA said it is investigating both cases and added: "Any person who fails to stop for immigration clearance will be dealt with firmly according to the law."
