A man in Singapore has been charged after spreading a fabricated image of a crocodile at Pandan Reservoir, prompting a suspension of recreational activities and a search operation. Ye Lin, 30, a Myanmar national, allegedly created an artificial intelligence-generated photo of a saltwater crocodile and shared it with a colleague, leading authorities to believe a dangerous animal was present at the popular reservoir.

Following the report on August 20, Singapore’s national water agency, along with national parks staff, halted work at the reservoir for two days and advised rowing and canoe clubs to suspend their activities. An extensive search was conducted in response to the purported crocodile sighting. However, the next day, the water agency confirmed the image was a hoax and referred the matter to the police.

Police said Ye Lin deleted both the image and the application used to create it in an effort to conceal his actions. He has been charged with communicating a false message and obstructing the course of justice. Under Singaporean law, transmitting a false message can carry a prison term of up to three years, a fine up to S$10,000, or both, while obstructing justice may result in a penalty of up to seven years in prison.

Ye Lin appeared in court, where he reportedly indicated his intention to plead guilty through an interpreter. The authorities have not disclosed how the water agency was initially alerted to the fake photograph. The case is scheduled to return to court in November.