The Police have arrested 23 men, aged between 22 and 61, and are investigating one 44-year-old man, in an islandwide operation targeting online child sexual exploitation activities. The men are suspected of possessing, distributing and gaining access to child abuse materials under Sections 377BI and 377BK of the Penal Code 1871, transmission of obscene materials under Section 292(1)(a) of the Penal Code 1871, and possession of obscene films under Section 30 of the Films Act 1981.
In a five-week operation, officers from the Criminal Investigation Department conducted raids at multiple locations islandwide. All electronic devices, including computers, handphones and hard disks, were seized.
Some of the men have been referred to the Home Team Community Assistance and Referral Scheme (HT CARES), where social workers, also known as CARES officers, will conduct social triaging on the men and will assess whether further intervention is needed.
Any person who has in possession, or has gained access to child abuse material, and knows or has reason to believe that the material is child abuse material shall be guilty of an offence and shall on conviction be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to five years, and shall also be liable to a fine or caning.
Those who distribute, or sell, or offer for sale child abuse material or have in the possession child abuse material for the purpose of such distribution, sale or offer for sale, and know or have reason to believe that the material is child abuse material shall be guilty of an offence and shall on conviction be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to seven years and shall also be liable to a fine or to caning.
Whoever lets to hire, distributes, transmits by electronic means, publicly exhibits, or in any manner puts into circulation, or for purposes of sale, hire, distribution, transmission, public exhibition or circulation, makes, produces, or has in his possession any obscene book, pamphlet, paper, drawing, painting, representation or figure, or any other obscene object whatsoever shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three months, a fine, or both.
Any person who has in his possession any obscene film shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $20,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months or both.
The Police will continue to take tough enforcement action against online child sexual exploitation activities, including the possession and distribution of child abuse materials. Those found engaging in such activities will be dealt sternly in accordance with the law.
SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE
27 March 2023 @ 10:40 AM