Illegal remote betting syndicate busted: 43 arrested in joint Singapore-Malaysia raids
Nine of them will be charged on Jul 2 for offences under the Gambling Control Act, with investigations against the rest ongoing.
Cash and gambling paraphernalia seized during a transnational unlawful betting enforcement operation by Singapore and Malaysia police. (Photo: SPF)
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SINGAPORE: Singapore and Malaysia police foiled an organised criminal group believed to be behind illegal remote betting operations, arresting 43 people aged between 34 and 82 for their suspected involvement.
Nine of them will be charged on Tuesday (Jul 2) for offences under the Gambling Control Act, with investigations against the rest ongoing, said the Singapore Police Force (SPF) in a news release on Monday.
During the joint operation conducted from Jun 30 to Jul 1, SPF officers from various divisions carried out simultaneous raids at multiple locations, leading to the arrest of 37 men and two women.
At the same time, Malaysian police officers apprehended four Singaporean men.
SPF issued prohibition of disposal orders for seven properties with an estimated value of more than S$10.7 million (US$7.9 million).
Cash, jewellery, luxury watches and more than 40 bank accounts with a total estimated value of nearly S$4 million were also seized for investigations and to prevent the suspected criminal proceeds from vanishing.
Electronic devices such as computers and mobile phones, and gambling-related paraphernalia were also taken by the police as case exhibits.
"The SPF will continue to work with our partners to detect and dismantle criminal syndicates wherever they choose to operate,” said acting deputy commissioner of police (investigation and intelligence) and concurrent director of the Criminal Investigation Department Zhang Weihan.
Anyone convicted of conducting an unlawful betting operation as an agent may be fined up to S$200,000 and jailed up to five years.
