PEKAN NENAS: Luck ran out for seven motorcyclists when they were caught using car lanes to evade immigration checks at the Johor checkpoint.
The seven, aged between 23 and 37, pleaded guilty at a special Sessions Court at the immigration depot here.
Judge Zahilah Mohammad Yusoff fined the seven men between RM1,800 to RM2,200 each.
According to the charge sheet, the seven were nabbed at the Bangunan Sultan Iskandar Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ)complex on Sept 25 under a special operation dubbed Ops Kutip.
At least five of them had tried to use the car lanes to evade immigration checks.
Two of the five even tried to use the "reject lane" at the CIQ.
All were charged under Section 2(2) of the Passport Act 1966.
Immigration officer Sarvena Giman prosecuted, while all the accused were not represented.
Each year, despite repeated warnings, dozens of Malaysians are nabbed at both the land crossings with Singapore for leaving the country without scanning their passports.
Most of them work in the island republic and evade the checks during peak hours or to avoid jams at the CIQs.
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