PUBLISHED ONAugust 17, 2015 5:42 AM
SINGAPORE - Police have arrested 27 men, aged between 46 and 83, for their suspected involvement in illegal horse betting activities.
On Aug 16, officers from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Central Division, Clementi Division, Tanglin Division, Bedok Division and Jurong Division conducted raids at multiple locations in Singapore including Telok Blangah, Bukit Merah, Bedok, Bishan and Woodlands, resulting in the arrests.
During the islandwide operation, cash amounting to about $8,000, an array of mobile phones, pagers, pens and documents containing suspected betting records were also seized as case exhibits.
Investigations against all the suspects are ongoing.
Any person who bets with a bookmaker shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $5,000, or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months, or both.
Any person who is found to be involved in bookmaking shall be liable on conviction to a fine of not less than $20,000 and not more than $200,000, and shall also be punished with imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years.
A police statement said that they "take a serious view of all forms of illegal betting activities and will continue to take tough enforcement action and prosecute those involved to the fullest extent of the law".
spanaech@sph.com.sg