4 men arrested for suspected involvement in loansharking activities

SINGAPORE - Police have arrested four men, aged between 24 and 54 years, for suspected involvement in loansharking activities in four separate cases where all were arrested on Sep 9, 2014.

In the first case, at about 3.30pm, through follow-up investigation, officers from the Bukit Batok Neighbourhood Police Centre (NPC) arrested a 30-year-old man in the vicinity of Bukit Batok East Avenue 4 for assisting loanshark syndicates.

Preliminary investigations indicated that he used his own Automated Teller Machine (ATM) card to perform fund transactions for loansharks. Upon his arrest, police seized an ATM card and a mobile phone in connection with the case.

In the second case, at about 4.20pm, officers from the Choa Chu Kang NPC arrested a 49-year-old man in the vicinity of Choa Chu Kang Ave 4 for assisting loanshark syndicates.

He is a debtor-turned-runner who assisted loansharks to procure ATM cards from other debtors. Upon his arrest, three ATM cards and a mobile phone were seized.

In the third case, at about 7.30pm, Choa Chu Kang NPC officers arrested a 24-year-old man in the vicinity of Ang Mo Kio Ave 1 for assisting loanshark syndicates. He is also a debtor-turned-runner who assisted loansharks to procure ATM cards and Personal Identification Numbers (PINs) from other debtors and used them to perform ATM fund transactions. Upon his arrest, five ATM cards and a mobile phone were seized in connection with the case.

In the final case, at about 7.55pm, officers from the Woodlands East NPC and Bukit Batok NPC arrested a 54-year-old man in the vicinity of Bukit Batok Central for assisting loanshark syndicates.

He is a debtor-turned-runner who also assisted loansharks to procure ATM cards and PINs from other debtors and used them to perform ATM fund transactions. He is also believed to have assisted the loansharks to verify signs of harassment at several locations. Upon his arrest, nice ATM cards and two mobile phones were seized in connection with the case.

First time offenders found guilty of assisting in the carrying on of the business of an unlicensed moneylender, may be fined not less than $30,000 and not more than $300,000, be imprisoned for a term not exceeding four years and shall also be liable to be punished with caning of not more than six strokes.

spanaech@sph.com.sg