Tactics of an ICA raid: Tech and element of surprise in nabbing immigration offenders

Tech and element of surprise help in nabbing immigration offenders

See officers from the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority in action as they conduct enforcement operations to uncover immigration offenders.
GO HIGH TECH AND BE POLITE Officers using a biometric device to screen a man. One officer says it is hard for foreigners being screened to turn aggressive when treated politely. LEAVE NO CORNER UNCHECKED Every inch of a residential unit in Geylang is
3 LEAVE NO CORNER UNCHECKED: Every inch of a residential unit in Geylang is checked. Some people have escaped checks in the past. ST PHOTO: ZAIHAN MOHAMED YUSOF
GO HIGH TECH AND BE POLITE Officers using a biometric device to screen a man. One officer says it is hard for foreigners being screened to turn aggressive when treated politely. LEAVE NO CORNER UNCHECKED Every inch of a residential unit in Geylang is
1 USE STEALTH AND SURPRISE: Officers outside a residential unit in Serangoon at 4.40am, ready to catch any immigration offender by surprise. ST PHOTO: ZAIHAN MOHAMED YUSOF
GO HIGH TECH AND BE POLITE Officers using a biometric device to screen a man. One officer says it is hard for foreigners being screened to turn aggressive when treated politely. LEAVE NO CORNER UNCHECKED Every inch of a residential unit in Geylang is
2 GO HIGH TECH AND BE POLITE: Officers using a biometric device to screen a man. One officer says it is hard for foreigners being screened to turn aggressive when treated politely. ST PHOTO: ZAIHAN MOHAMED YUSOF
GO HIGH TECH AND BE POLITE Officers using a biometric device to screen a man. One officer says it is hard for foreigners being screened to turn aggressive when treated politely. LEAVE NO CORNER UNCHECKED Every inch of a residential unit in Geylang is
4 PERSISTENCE PAYS OFF: A foreign national is arrested. Typically, out of 100 checks, two people are taken into custody by ICA officers. ST PHOTO: ZAIHAN MOHAMED YUSOF
Zaihan Mohamed Yusof
Senior Crime Correspondent
Updated
Sep 27, 2019, 12:43 PM
Published
Sep 24, 2019, 05:00 AM
New: Gift this subscriber-only story to your friends and family

At 4.40am last Tuesday, plainclothes Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) officers had formed up at the entrance of a residential unit in Little India.

The officers from ICA's intelligence operations branch (IOB) were preparing to enter the unit to weed out immigration offenders.

Already a subscriber? 

Read the full story and more at $9.90/month

Get exclusive reports and insights with more than 500 subscriber-only articles every month

ST One Digital

 $9.90/month

No contract

ST app access on 1 mobile device

Subscribe now

Unlock these benefits

  • All subscriber-only content on ST app and straitstimes.com

  • Easy access any time via ST app on 1 mobile device

  • E-paper with 2-week archive so you won't miss out on content that matters to you

Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.

A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on September 24, 2019, with the headline Tactics of an ICA raid: Tech and element of surprise in nabbing immigration offenders. Subscribe

Available for
iPhones and iPads
Available in
Google Play

MCI (P) 066/10/2023. Published by SPH Media Limited, Co. Regn. No. 202120748H. Copyright © 2024 SPH Media Limited. All rights reserved.

Back to the top