Indonesian who tested positive for Covid-19 was arrested for suspected involvement in helping 4 men enter Singapore illegally

SINGAPORE — An Indonesian man who was arrested by the Police Coast Guard and tested positive for Covid-19 is linked to an illegal entry case in October in which four men were detected jumping off a boat and swimming to Singapore, the police said on Wednesday (Dec 2).

The Indonesian man, 43, was among the 10 new Covid-19 cases reported in Singapore on Tuesday.

The Ministry of Health said he was a special pass holder who entered Singapore from Indonesia and was arrested by the Police Coast Guard for his suspected involvement in a prior case.

Responding to queries from CNA, the police said in a statement that the man was arrested on Nov 29. He underwent swab tests and tested positive on the same day.

"The police were notified of his test result, and assisted the Ministry of Health with contact tracing efforts," the police statement said.

Officers identified to have been in close contact with the man have been quarantined and asked to monitor their health.

Areas that the man had been to have also been disinfected thoroughly in accordance with the National Environment Agency’s guidelines, the police said.

The police said they remain committed to ensuring the health and safety of their officers, and had implemented precautionary measures since the Covid-19 outbreak in January.

"Officers deployed for operational duties are equipped with the necessary personal protective equipment such as masks, gloves and disposable gowns," the police said.

FOUR MEN CHARGED WITH UNLAWFUL ENTRY IN OCTOBER

The man was arrested for his suspected involvement in facilitating the illegal entry of four Indonesian men in October.

The four men were charged on Oct 10 with unlawful entry into Singapore.

They were first detected on Tuas Reclaimed Land at about 8.30pm on Oct 9 by the Police Coast Guard via its surveillance systems.

They were observed to have jumped off an unnumbered boat into the waters off Tuas Reclaimed Land before swimming towards the shore.

Officers from the Police Coast Guard, Jurong Police Division, Gurkha Contingent, Special Operations Command and Home Team Unmanned Aerial Vehicles Unit then responded to intercept the men.

The men were arrested within five hours from the time of detection. CNA

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