Pakistani man flees from officer, sparks Woodlands Checkpoint temporary lockdown

A Pakistani man fled from an auxiliary police officer at Woodlands Checkpoint on Jun. 4, triggering a lockdown of the checkpoint before being arrested, deported, and barred from re-entering Singapore.

According to 8world, the incident was first flagged by a person who posted in the Facebook group "Both Checkpoint”.

The post said an individual was seen running away at the motorcycle lane, causing the checkpoint to be locked down.

What happened

In a statement, the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) said the incident occurred at about 9:42am, when an auxiliary police officer spotted the man walking against the flow of traffic near the entrance of the Woodlands Checkpoint arrival motorcycle zone.

The man told the officer he had dropped his cashcard, but as the officer tried to locate his motorcycle, he took off towards Malaysia and ignored repeated calls to stop.

ICA officers immediately activated the emergency alarm and placed the checkpoint under a temporary lockdown as part of standard security protocols.

The man was arrested and referred to ICA's Enforcement Division for investigations, where he told officers he had never intended to enter Singapore in the first place.

Deported, barred from re-entry

The man was issued a stern warning for failing to comply with officers' instructions.

He was deported on Jun. 6, and barred from re-entering Singapore.

In its statement, ICA said it takes a serious view of anyone who resists or obstructs its officers.

It warned that it would not hesitate to take firm enforcement action against offenders.

Under the Immigration Act, anyone who resists or obstructs an immigration officer in the execution of their duties faces a fine of up to S$4,000, imprisonment of up to 12 months, or both.