A Singaporean man, Tan Khi Wie, who fled the country illegally on a fishing boat more than 20 years ago to avoid serving an 18-month jail sentence, was arrested at Changi Airport on March 7, 2026, after attempting to clear immigration using an Indonesian passport under the false name "Ken Srona."

Tan, 58, was sentenced on Tuesday, August 11, 2026, to 14 months and three weeks in jail after being convicted of six charges under the Immigration Act and Penal Code. An additional 16 charges under the Immigration Act were taken into consideration during sentencing.

The Singapore Police Force and the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) reported that Tan was unable to complete immigration clearance at automated lanes, leading officers to conduct further checks that uncovered his true identity and outstanding police warrant.

Previously, in August 2002, Tan was convicted of cheating after misleading the then-Singapore Productivity and Standards Board into disbursing a S$195,800 grant under the Local Enterprise Technical Assistance Scheme.

Between 2011 and 2016, Tan repeatedly entered and exited Singapore using Indonesian passports bearing the false identity "Ken Srona." He also falsely declared in his disembarkation forms that he had never used a passport under a different name to enter Singapore.

The ICA noted that their verification systems provide a highly accurate means of authenticating travellers' identities and strengthen their ability to safeguard Singapore's borders.

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