Featured image adapted from Jeffrey Sun on Google Maps and Immigration & Checkpoints Authority on Facebook.
On 23 Feb, the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) released its annual statistics for 2025. It highlighted a significant increase in contraband smuggling attempts.
The authority’s efforts resulted in the seizure of over 350,000 vapes and related components, reflecting a sharp uptick in enforcement.
According to the report, the ICA saw an increase in volume for both travellers and vehicles at Singapore’s land checkpoints.
Source: Jeffrey Sun on Google Maps
244,864,000 travellers cleared the checkpoints last year, an increase of 6.3%, or around 14 million, from 2024.
Meanwhile, they cleared just under 84.8 million vehicles, a 9.5% increase.
The ICA strengthened border security in 2025 through enhanced targeting by their Integrated Targeting Centre (ITC).
Additionally, ICA officers performed on-the-ground profiling of travellers and enhanced checks.
Source: Immigration & Checkpoints Authority on Facebook
In 2025, the ICA detected 57,400 contraband smuggling cases, a significant 30.6% increase from the 43,900 cases in 2024.
The ICA attributed this to the ITC’s capabilities as well as improved profiling by the ICA officers.
Several cases involved smuggling of contraband cigarettes in cars with modified compartments or concealed among other goods in lorries.
Source: Immigration & Checkpoints Authority on Facebook
The smuggling efforts also included the illegal importation of both fresh and processed produce.
One high-profile seizure occurred on 21 May 2025, when ICA officers at Pasir Panjang Scanning Station intercepted a shipment containing over 200 suspected counterfeit goods in a container.
Source: Immigration & Checkpoints Authority on Facebook
The ICA also reported that, in 2025, it detected 667 cases of vape smuggling, following its stepped-up enforcement efforts.
In total, over 350,000 vapes and vape-related components were confiscated.
Meanwhile, the number of drug detections remained the same at over 1,000 cases.
Source: Immigration & Checkpoints Authority on Facebook
The report stated that there was a significant increase in the number of foreign visitors refused entry at the checkpoints.
The ICA turned away around 45,700 foreigners assessed to pose immigration or security risks, a 38.3% increase from 2024.
However, 2025 also saw a decrease in the number of travellers with multiple identities or forged documents.
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Featured image adapted from Jeffrey Sun on Google Maps and Immigration & Checkpoints Authority on Facebook.