Six Indonesian men arrested for illegal entry by sea near Tanah Merah
Six Indonesian men were arrested on 21 December 2025 after the Police Coast Guard intercepted a wooden craft within Singapore Territorial Waters near Tanah Merah, with investigations showing they intended to enter the country illegally to seek work.
- Six Indonesian men were arrested on 21 December 2025 for illegally entering Singapore by sea.
- The Police Coast Guard intercepted a wooden craft within Singapore Territorial Waters near Tanah Merah.
- Authorities said the men intended to seek employment, and will be charged under the Immigration Act.
SINGAPORE: Six Indonesian men aged between 23 and 29 were arrested in the early hours of 21 December 2025 for entering Singapore illegally, according to a police news release.
The arrests were made after officers from the Police Coast Guard detected a wooden craft at sea at about 12.35am.
The vessel was found off Tanah Merah, within Singapore Territorial Waters.
Officers intercepted the craft and arrested all six men on board.
The police said preliminary investigations indicated that the men had intended to enter Singapore illegally to seek employment.
The six men are expected to be charged in court on 22 December 2025.
If convicted, each offender faces a possible jail term of up to six months and a minimum of three strokes of the cane.
The police said the arrests were part of ongoing efforts to safeguard Singapore’s coastal borders against unauthorised entry and related security threats.
Commander of the Police Coast Guard, Senior Assistant Commissioner of Police Ang Eng Seng, commended his officers for their vigilance and teamwork during the operation.
According to Senior Assistant Commissioner Ang, the interception demonstrated the PCG’s readiness to detect and respond swiftly to suspicious maritime activity.
He added that the Police Coast Guard would continue to take firm action against immigration offenders to protect Singapore’s territorial waters and coastal borders from crime and security threats.
The police stressed that sea routes remain closely monitored, especially in areas vulnerable to small craft attempting to evade detection.
Data from the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) Annual Statistics 2024 showed that 61 illegal immigrants were arrested in 2024. This represented a 35.6 per cent increase compared with 45 arrests recorded in 2023.
Of the 61 individuals arrested in 2024, 41 per cent were apprehended by the Police Coast Guard before they managed to enter Singapore.
Under Section 6 of the Immigration Act, a person found to have entered or left Singapore illegally without a valid pass or entry permit commits an offence.
Offenders may be punished with a jail term of up to six months and at least three strokes of the cane.
In cases where caning cannot be carried out, such as when the offender is above 50 years old or is female, the law provides for a fine of up to S$6,000 instead.
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