Six more Nepalese men have been arrested for overstaying in Singapore, following an operation last month that resulted in the arrest of 11 Nepalese men for the same offence.
The Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) is searching for those who might have harboured or employed the latest six, it said in a Facebook post on Saturday (11 April).
Source: Immigration & Checkpoints Authority on Facebook
The latest arrests came during follow-up operations conducted by ICA between 16 March and 6 April, it said.
The six additional Nepalese nabbed, aged from 24 to 47, were found to have overstayed in Singapore after their visit passes had expired.
Source: Immigration & Checkpoints Authority on Facebook
Investigations are now ongoing to identify people who may have harboured or employed the six.
The six are linked to an earlier case where ICA and the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) conducted a joint enforcement operation on 10 March.
The raid, which targeted food and beverage establishments across Singapore, resulted in the arrests of 11 Nepalese aged between 21 and 43.
Like the most recently arrested six, they had also overstayed in Singapore after the expiry of their visit passes.
Source: Immigration & Checkpoints Authority
Additionally, two male Singaporeans who had allegedly employed two of them are under ICA investigation.
Two work permit holders and one S Pass holder are also being investigated by MOM for possible employment offences.
ICA noted that overstaying is a “serious offence with severe penalties”.
Those convicted of overstaying face a jail term of up to six months, at least three strokes of the cane or a fine of up to S$6,000.
Immigration offenders may also be deported and barred from re-entering Singapore after they have been punished.
Source: Immigration & Checkpoints Authority on Facebook
ICA also takes “a firm stance” against those who employ or harbour immigration offenders, it added.
Those found guilty of employing overstayers and/or illegal immigrants face between six months and two years in prison, and a fine of up to S$6,000, ICA said.
The same punishments apply to those found guilty of recklessly or knowingly harbouring overstayers and/or illegal immigrants.
For negligently harbouring overstayers and/or illegal immigrants, offenders may be jailed for up to 12 months and/or fined up to S$6,000, if convicted.
Also read: Sri Lankan man arrested after overstaying in S’pore for 10 months, slept in public places
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Featured image adapted from Immigration & Checkpoints Authority on Facebook.