The incident occurred on June 4 when an auxiliary police officer spotted the man walking against the flow of traffic near the checkpoint’s arrival motorcycle zone, The Straits Times reported.

Upon being questioned, he claimed he had dropped his cash card.

As the officer attempted to locate the man’s motorcycle, the man suddenly turned around and ran back toward Malaysia, ignoring repeated instructions to stop, Mothership reported.

The Woodlands Checkpoint is one of Singapore’s two land border checkpoints, connecting ground traffic with Malaysia.

ICA said officers immediately activated security protocols and placed the checkpoint under lockdown.

The man was subsequently detained and handed over to relevant authorities for investigation.

According to ICA, the man later claimed he had no intention of entering Singapore. He was issued a stern warning for failing to comply with officers’ instructions and for obstructing them in the course of their duties. He has also been barred from re-entering Singapore.

Under Singapore’s Immigration Act, anyone found guilty of resisting or obstructing an immigration officer can face a fine of up to S$4,000 (US$3,112), a jail term of up to 12 months, or both.

Singapore is renowned for its strict law enforcement that have helped make it one of the world’s safest travel destinations.