Members of crack coast guard unit can't be photographed or named, but they strike fear into smugglers' hearts
By Ben Nadarajan
IT IS a highly-secretive unit with some formidable capabilities, including high-speed boats and the ability to launch seaborne intercepts of criminals or ships with dangerous cargo.
But despite being around for a decade, little is known about this elite Police Coast Guard unit.
In fact, the first time many people heard of it was when its members nabbed one of the three armed robbers who holed up on Pulau Tekong recently after fleeing Johor.
The Special Task Squadron (STS) started out as a crack unit to tackle smugglers and illegal immigrants riding speedboats into Singapore. The hush-hush squad, which calls itself The Flying Fish, has shied away from the media glare since its formation.
Its men cannot be photographed or named and each bears his own unique code name.
The Straits Times was given a peek into its capabilities recently, with the unit showing off some impressive skills.
Take its equipment: The Marlin boats it uses can zip through the water almost as fast as sports cars racing down an expressway.
The boats are also highly manoeuvrable, changing direction in the blink of an eye.
All this helps them catch smugglers and the like, who are known in the past to have tried to outrun the police with speedboats.
The squad's commander cannot reveal the boats' top speeds, but says they are the fastest craft deployed in Singapore waters.
Once the Marlins catch up with their prey, the officers of the STS spring into action, quickly boarding the craft and subduing criminals on board.
The men are also trained to board larger ships using rope ladders.
The unit has the capability to board both stationary and moving vessels.
Its record in dealing with seaborne criminals speaks for itself: In the past 10 years, it has nabbed more than 400 illegal immigrants, armed robbers and smugglers.
The STS was formed from a pioneer batch of 25 men to deal with an influx of illegal immigrants making a dash for the Singapore shoreline in motorised sampans or speedboats.
The need for a special unit arose because police boats at the time were slow and could not match those of the criminals in speed or manoeuvrability.
But since the Sept 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in the United States, the unit's tasks have grown. It is now sometimes called upon to escort sensitive foreign government vessels coming into Singapore, protecting them from attack by smaller craft.
And while combing ships for illegal VCDs or drugs, officers also keep their eyes peeled for firearms and explosives.
Special gear, such as boots which provide extra buoyancy and grip, and Glock-19 pistols, help The Flying Fish carry out their duties.
As would be expected of the toughest unit in the Police Coast Guard, joining it is no easy task.
Even before qualifying for a try-out, candidates must be expert shooters, must have steered a boat for at least a year, must have good physical fitness and swimming standards, and must be aged below 30.
Dropout rates even after selection are high: During a course two years ago, only one in 10 applicants made it.
Most dropped out during the initial week-long course which tests their physical and mental mettle.
Training does not stop once they qualify.
The officers go out to sea three times a week to hone their techniques. On other days, they spend hours perfecting their shooting skills and improving their fitness levels.
As a measure of how effective the STS is, the Police Coast Guard says human smugglers are so afraid of being intercepted at sea that they refuse to bring illegal immigrants in by boat anymore and tell them to swim over instead.
'This is our biggest compliment,' an STS officer said.
In a display of its speed and agility, the Marlin - the fastest craft deployed in Singapore waters - chases a "smuggler's" boat and catches it. -- ALBERT SIM
Members of The Flying Fish spring into action, boarding the boat and capturing the "criminal".
--ST
Glock pistols are known for their rapid fire rate, like that a of a sub-machine gun.