The Police have arrested 8 men and 4 women aged between 18 to 63 for their suspected involvement in loansharking activities.
Between 18 and 21 January 2016, through follow-up investigation efforts, officers from Jurong Division mounted a 4-day island wide operation covering Bukit Batok, Bukit Panjang, Choa Chu Kang, Woodlands, Jurong West and Marine Terrace. This resulted in the arrest of 6 men and 4 women, aged between 20 and 63, for suspected involvement with loanshark syndicates. Preliminary investigations indicated that the suspects are believed to have opened bank accounts and given away their ATM cards as well as their Personal Identification Numbers (PINs) to loansharks to facilitate their unlicensed moneylending businesses. Investigations against these 10 suspects are ongoing.
In a separate case, on 21 January 2016 at about 6.25 pm, officers from Jurong Division arrested one 27-year-old man in the vicinity of Somerset Road. Preliminary investigations revealed that the suspect is believed to have assisted the loanshark syndicates to procure ATM cards with PINs from other debtors and carrying out Automated Teller Machine (ATM) transfers as well as verification of sign of harassment. Upon his arrest, ATM transaction receipts and a handphone were seized as case exhibits.
On 19 January 2016, the Police also received a report on loanshark harassment whereby paint was splashed at the front door and loanshark graffiti scrawled on the wall of a residential HDB unit at Woodlands. Through extensive ground enquiries and viewing of images from Police Cameras (POLCAMs), officers from Jurong Division arrested the 18-year-old male suspect at Woodlands on 21 January 2016. Preliminary investigations revealed that the suspect is believed to have carried out several similar acts of harassment in Yishun, Punggol, Toa Payoh, Marsiling and Woodlands housing estates. A mobile phone, one marker pen, a tin of paint and apparel were seized as case exhibits.
Both the 27-year-old and 18-year-old suspects in the last two cases will be charged in the State Courts on 23 January 2016.
Under the Moneylenders Act (Revised Edition 2010), first-time offenders found guilty of carrying on the business as an unlicensed moneylender or assisting in the business of unlicensed moneylending may be fined not less than $30,000 and not more $300,000, be imprisoned for a term not exceeding four years, and shall also be liable to be punished with caning not more than six strokes.
Additionally, under the Moneylenders Act (Revised Edition 2010), first time offenders found guilty of loanshark harassment shall be fined not less than $5,000 and not more than $50,000, with mandatory imprisonment of up to 5 years and mandatory caning of up to 6 strokes.
SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE
22 January 2016 @ 6:35 PM