156 People Being Investigated for Several Crimes, Including Scams, Drugs, Gambling, & Assisting Loan Sharks

By
Zhi Hao
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It seems that the police are not cutting criminals any slack.

Fresh from the fight after several operations that have seen the arrest of numerous individuals, they were at it again from 24 to 31 March.

Led by Jurong Police Division, the multi-agency operation was held over varying locations such as Jurong West, Tuas, Choa Chu Kang, Bukit Panjang, and Bukit Batok, and culminated in a staggering round-up rate of more than 150 suspects.

Batman? Nah, we’re good with the men in blue.

156 People Being Investigated for Several Crimes, Including Scams, Drugs, Gambling, & Loan Sharks

According to The Straits Times, the week-long operation involved major entities such as the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB), Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA), and Singapore Customs.

156 suspects—132 men and 24 women—have been taken into custody on the suspicion of offences including vice, illegal gambling, and e-commerce scams.

Amongst them, one was 81 years old, and some were just 17 years old.

According to the news report, here are the exact round-ups of suspects, and the offences they were apprehended for:

  • 41 men and four women, aged between 18 and 80: Vice, drugs, traffic violations and secret societies
  • 44 men and two women, between 32 and 81: Gambling offences
  • 24 men and 11 women, aged between 23 and 79: Assistance in loanshark activities, as well as loan scams
  • 18 men and seven women, between 17 and 61: E-commerce scams and commercial crime offences
  • Five men, between 25 and 41: Crimes under the Customs Act and Immigration Act

Police Statement

The police have since considered the operation to be part of their community-protection endeavours.

They have also warned that the operation is far from being the last.

Commander of Jurong Police Division, Assistant Commissioner of Police Shee Tek Tze, said, “This joint operation led by Jurong Police Division is part of our ongoing efforts to keep our community safe.

“The police will continue to work closely with other law enforcement agencies to take tough enforcement actions against those are involved in criminal activities.”

Previous Raids

Over the last few months, the police have conducted raids on several sectors, including unlicensed entertainment venues and gambling houses.

As recently as 30 March 2021, the police raided a shophouse unit in Joo Chiat, and apprehended 12 people for allegedly breaking safe-distancing rules.

The group included seven men and five women aged between 20 and 44.

Apparently, they were allegedly found drinking alcohol, singing karaoke, and socialising in the shophouse unit.

And on 6 December 2020, SPF revealed in a statement that they’ve arrested 89 people in an operation conducted at Geylang.

The number consists of 62 men and 27 women, one of whom is a 16-year-old girl.

The oldest person in the group is a 94-year-old woman who is being investigated for offences under the Common Gaming Houses Act.

They also arrested numerous individuals suspected to be members of unlawful societies, with a two-week operation in December churning out 52 suspects.

However, the recent spate of police efforts has also led to false claims on social media, with one particular account alleging that police officers had broken into the home of a suspected drug trafficker.

Netizens even alleged that one of the traffickers tried to evade arrest by jumping down the block.

The story was ultimately debunked by the police, who stated that it was not a drug trafficker, but a mentally unstable man who was suspected to be a danger to himself. You can see the full post below:

Feature Image: Bonma Suriya / Shutterstock.com (Image is for illustration purpose only)

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Zhi Hao
Email: [email protected]