The Police have arrested a 31-year-old man for his suspected involvement in money laundering activities.
On 7 December 2022, the Police received a report about an alleged government officials impersonation scam involving losses amounting to almost $100,000. The money was found to have been credited into another bank account in Singapore.
Through ground enquiries and with the aid of images from Police cameras and CCTVs, officers from the Commercial Affairs Department established the identity of the man and arrested him. Several case exhibits such as cash amounting to $6,700, four mobile phones, seven SIM cards, 35 bank cards and a portable money counting machine were found and seized as case exhibits.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the money was withdrawn through numerous cash withdrawals at Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) in Singapore. The man is alleged to be concerned in an arrangement with unknown persons to facilitate the unknown persons’ control of the benefits from criminal conduct by withdrawing at least $160,000 from a bank account in Singapore.
The man will be charged in court on 13 January 2023 with the offence of transferring benefits from criminal conduct under Section 51 of the Corruption, Drug Trafficking, and other Serious Crimes (Confiscation of Benefits) Act 1992. Those convicted shall be punished with a fine of up to $500,000 and/or jail term not exceeding 10 years.
The Police will not hesitate to take action against anyone involved in any arrangement to allow his or her bank accounts to be used for illegal purposes, such as the laundering of criminal proceeds. To avoid being an accomplice to crimes, members of the public should always reject requests by others to open and/or sell bank accounts, or receive money in their bank accounts, as they will be held accountable if these are linked criminal activities.
Exhibits seized
SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE
12 January 2023 @ 8:50 PM