Fourteen detained while making an illegal entry to Singapor

JOHOR BARU: The state Immigration Department detained 14 people for attempting to depart from Malaysia unlawfully at the Sultan Iskandar Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) Building during an operation today.

State immigration deputy director (operation control) Zulkifli Abd Rahman said the 14 who had been detained in the 4.30am operation along the JB-Singapore railway track were all male.

They were 13 Malaysians and one Singaporean.

According to Zulkifli barely 48-hours ago they had arrested 37 visitors who have illegally cross the borders between Johor and Singapore without first going through the immigration's CIQ check.

"They are all currently detained at the CIQ immigration office to facilitate investigation," said Zulkifli adding the case is being investigated under Section 5(2) and Section 56(1A)(a) of the Immigration Act.

Zulkifli urged those entering to or departing from Singapore should go through the gazetted route which is through the Immigration inspection checks or else faced being penalised under the Immigration Act 1959/63.