The Singapore Police Force has taken into custody Suimi Bin Taruna, a 43-year-old Malaysian, for his suspected involvement in leading a human smuggling syndicate. With the assistance of the Royal Malaysian Police, he was extradited to Singapore on 27 January 2010 for further investigations.

Suimi Bin Taruna, also known as ‘Impa’, is believed to be the leader of a syndicate involved in smuggling illegal immigrants by sea into Singapore from western Johor. Investigations revealed that Suimi Bin Taruna operated his illegal human smuggling business with a team of boat operators and ‘lookouts’ using fiberglass speedboats. The Police Coast Guard’s (PCG) previous encounters with the syndicate indicated that the boat operators and ‘lookouts’ were desperate and dangerous criminals who would execute reckless manoeuvres at high speed to evade arrest. These intruders were also known to have consumed drugs to embolden themselves before each operation .

Suimi Bin Taruna will be charged in Court for "engaging in the business of conveying prohibited immigrants" into Singapore under Section 57(1)(c) of the Immigration Act, Chapter 133, read with Section 109 of the Penal Code, Chapter 224 on 29 January 2010. The offence under Section 57(1)(c) Chapter 133 carries a punishment of imprisonment for a term of not less than two years and not more than five years and shall also be punished with caning of not less than three strokes .

Commander of Police Coast Guard, Assistant Commissioner of Police Teo Kian Teck said, "PCG is tasked with the heavy responsibility of ensuring the safety and security of Singapore 's territorial waters and coastlines. This is not an easy task as Singapore ’s sea borders are porous and cluttered. The arrest of Suimi is the third arrest of illegal immigrant syndicate leaders by PCG in the past one year. This shows the strong commitment of PCG against seaborne intruders as they pose a serious threat to Singapore ’s security. Anyone caught breaching our border security will be dealt with firmly according to our laws. It has been and will be so to ensure safety and security of Singapore waters."