Four other similar charges were also taken into consideration at sentencing.
Singapore’s $1.3 billion investigation exposes paid passports of Chinese criminals
Singapore’s $1.3 billion investigation exposes paid passports of Chinese criminals
A spokesperson for the Immigration and Checkpoints Agency (ICA) said on Friday that the agency regularly reviews and strengthens the robustness of its immigration processes and systems.
“Since July 2020, iris scanners and facial scanners have been installed at all automatic and manual entry lanes/counters in the passenger halls of Singapore’s land, sea and air checkpoints,” the spokesperson said. Ta.
ICA added that in addition to fingerprint testing as a secondary biometric identifier, the simultaneous use of these biometric identifiers will make the authentication of a traveler’s identity even more reliable.
This will also further strengthen the ICA’s ability to protect Singapore’s borders.
The court heard that in early 1991, Mr Loo traveled to Malaysia using a Singaporean passport, believing he was wanted by police for involvement in a gang war.
Court documents do not specify whether Lu is correct in his belief that he is wanted by police.
His Singapore passport expired on February 27, 1991.
Between 2000 and 2004, Loo obtained fraudulent Malaysian ID cards with the name Lo Ken Nyok through a Malaysian friend for fees ranging from MYR 10,000 (US$2,100) to MYR 20,000.
A year after getting his Malaysian identity card, Lu got a Malaysian passport with a photo and fake details.
He wanted to travel to Singapore to see his family and elderly mother, but Mr Lu did not want to reveal his real identity as he still believed he was wanted by the authorities.
ICA’s Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Muhammad Izzat said that in 2006, Lu had committed suicide in a similar manner despite knowing that the information on both passports was not representative of him. He reportedly obtained his second Malaysian passport.
On 4 January 2008, Lu arrived at Changi Airport Terminal 2 and failed to present his Singapore passport to the immigration officer for arrival immigration.
Loo did so to avoid detection by the authorities, and instead submitted his Malaysian passport and exit documents, which he obtained in 2006, to immigration officials.
He was given a 30-day visit pass.
A few months later, Lu repeated the process when he arrived at Changi Airport’s Terminal 1 to depart Singapore.
DSP Izzat said the immigration officer unknowingly allowed Mr Lu to leave the country, not knowing that he had created a Malaysian passport with information that did not identify him.
On April 25, 2009, Ms Lu filled in her exit documents with false details, returned to Singapore in the same manner, and was again granted a 30-day visit permit.
The ICA launched an investigation on June 28 last year after discovering that Lu was a person using multiple identities.
Mr Lu was arrested on June 27 this year after the investigation was completed.
Asking for a sentence of 20 to 22 weeks, DSP Izzat argued that Mr Lu chose to use a Malaysian passport to evade border controls despite being a Singaporean citizen.
DSP Izzat added that Mr Lu committed the crime over a long period of time in circumstances where he had to comply with border control measures.
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In handing down the sentence, District Judge Paul Chan disagreed with the defense’s request for a 16-week sentence, stressing that the principle of deterrence would play a key role in Lu’s sentencing.
“This is a national security issue because what is at issue here is Singapore’s ability to police its own borders,” he said.
Mr Lu could have been jailed for up to two years, fined up to S$6,000 (approximately 450,000 yen), or both for each count of making a false document.
Making a false statement to obtain a visit permit could have resulted in up to 12 months in prison, a S$4,000 fine, or both.
For each charge of failing to produce a Singapore passport before entering the country, Mr Lu could have been jailed for up to six months, fined S$1,000, or both.