Tugboat crew member charged after he allegedly helped 3 people enter Singapore illegally
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Indonesian Febry Iswanto was handed a charge under the Immigration Act and is accused of abetting the three to unlawfully enter the country at around 2.30am on Oct 26.
ST PHOTO: KELVIN CHNG
SINGAPORE – A crew member of a foreign-registered tugboat who allegedly helped three people enter Singapore illegally was charged in court on Nov 11.
Indonesian Febry Iswanto, 23, was handed a charge under the Immigration Act and is accused of abetting the three to unlawfully enter the country at around 2.30am on Oct 26.
Details about the trio were not disclosed in court documents.
In a statement, the police said that Police Coast Guard officers arrested eight foreign crew members, including Febry, during an operation at the Pulau Punggol Aggregate Terminal on Nov 9.
The eight were arrested on board a foreign-registered tugboat over their alleged involvement in abetting others to enter Singapore unlawfully.
Preliminary investigations revealed that Febry is believed to have helped the unauthorised individuals in entering the country on Oct 26.
A police spokesperson added: “The unauthorised persons had hidden on board the tugboat’s barge when it was being towed into Singapore.
“The foreign-registered tugboat and barge were seized as case exhibits.”
Febry’s case has been adjourned to Nov 18, and investigations into the other seven crew members are ongoing.
If convicted, he can be jailed for up to two years and given at least three strokes of the cane.
