A 40-year-old man was arrested last Friday after he was found trying to leave Singapore illegally by hiding beneath a pile of cardboard boxes in a lorry.

The Malaysian driver, 39, and his co-driver, 33, were also arrested.

At about 12pm that day, officers from the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority at the Woodlands Checkpoint directed a departing Malaysia-registered lorry for routine checks, and made the discovery.

The trio are currently under investigation for immigration offences. The vehicle used in the offences has been detained.

The penalties for overstaying or illegal entry are a jail term of up to six months and at least three strokes of the cane. The penalties for illegal departure is a fine of up to $2,000, a jail term of up to six months, or both.