Organised criminal group in Singapore crippled, 55 men and women arrested

In a joint operation, Police and Singapore Customs have crippled an organised criminal group (OCG) and arrested 44 men and 11 women.

The suspects were allegedly involved in offences such as unlicensed moneylending and gang-related activities, operating illegal gambling dens, as well as dealing in duty-unpaid cigarettes.

The crackdown against the suspects, aged between 19 and 79, took place on Saturday (14 October) with officers from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and Singapore Customs conducting simultaneous raids at more than 10 locations islandwide, including Ang Mo Kio, Geylang, Sengkang, Toa Payoh and Yishun.

During the operations, cash of almost $600,000, suspected moneylending records, computers, mobile phones, gambling paraphernalia and more than 550 cartons of duty-unpaid cigarettes were seized. Police have also begun freezing of the suspects’ bank accounts.

Investigations against all the suspects are ongoing for offences under the Organised Crime Act, Moneylenders Act, Common Gaming Houses Act, Societies Act, and Customs Act.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Investigations & Intelligence) concurrent Director of the Criminal Investigation Department Tan Chye Hee reiterated Police’s stand against OCGs, “We will spare no efforts to continue to disrupt and dismantle these OCGs and deprive them of their ill-gotten gains.”