110 arrested in 39-hour anti-loansharking operation

110 arrested in 39-hour anti-loansharking operation

Police have arrested 110 suspects for alleged involvement in loansharking activities.

A total of 75 men and 35 women were picked up in the 39-hour island-wide operation between Tuesday and Wednesday, said the police.

They were aged between 16 and 75.

The areas raided included Tampines, Bedok, Sengkang, Hougang, Ang Mo Kio, Potong Pasir, Telok Blangah, Tanglin, Jurong and Woodlands.

Preliminary investigations indicate that 15 suspects were believed to be involved in loansharking activities as harassers or runners who facilitated the loansharks in their businesses by carrying out automated teller machine (ATM) transfers and distributing flyers promoting illegal loan facilities.

Another five suspects are believed to have provided false contact information when obtaining loans from loansharks and these suspects would be investigated under the National Registration Act for failing to report the change of address.

The remaining suspects are under investigation for opening bank accounts and giving their ATM cards and personal identification numbers to loansharks to facilitate their businesses.

ADVICE FOR THE PUBLIC

Members of public are advised to stay away from loansharks and not to work with or assist them in any way, said the police.

They can call the X-Ah Long hotline at 1800 924 5664 if they have useful information on loansharking activities.

They can also call 999 for urgent cases such as when witnessing acts of loanshark harassment in progress.


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