Armed robbery on the rise

MORE incidents of armed robbery occurred in the Singapore Strait in the first half of 2023, amid a worsened socio-economic situation in the region, according to a sea crime watch group for Asia.The 38 incidents in one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes between January and June 2023 represented a 41% increase from 27 in the same period in 2022. Most cases involved four to six male perpetrators and happened under cover of darkness.

The figures were released on Friday by the Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia Information Sharing Centre (ReCAAP ISC) in its half-year report.