PUBLISHED ONSeptember 11, 2025 2:43 AMBYDana LeongA scam syndicate responsible for over 330 cases involving over $40 million of losses was busted in a cross-border operation that led to the arrest of 12 individuals across Singapore.
The operation — involving the Singapore Police Force (SPF) and the Cambodian National Police (CNP) — was carried out at multiple locations in Singapore and Cambodia on Sept 9, according to a statement on Wednesday (Sept 10).
Raids across Singapore at residential apartments and hotel rooms tied to suspected syndicate members resulted in the arrest of 12 people — eight Singaporean men, one Singaporean woman, two Malaysian men and one Filipino woman.
According to the police, the arrested individuals are believed to be callers for the syndicate, who had just returned to Singapore from Cambodia.
In Phnom Penh, CNP officers raided a building and warehouse allegedly linked to the syndicate, where $2.5 million worth of funds from bank accounts and cryptocurrency wallets, 53 electronic devices, copies of scam scripts and victims’ records were seized.
The syndicate reportedly perpetrated government official impersonation scams, said the police.
Since December 2024, SPF had received reports of such scams where victims in Singapore were deceived into losing large sums of monies through a three-step process.
Victims would first receive a calls from scammers impersonating bank staff.
Scam callers would then direct victims to a second scammer, who would impersonate a government official — either a police officer or an official from the Monetary Authority of Singapore.
The scammer impersonating a government official would convince victims that their bank accounts were implicated in ongoing criminal investigations and require them to surrender their funds for alleged investigation purposes.
Based on preliminary findings, members of the syndicate travelled to Cambodia willingly and earned commissions for each successful scam they committed.
The 12 individuals will be charged in court on Sept 11 for being members of a locally-linked organised criminal group, said the police.
If convicted, they will face a jail term of up to five years, a maximum fine of $100,000, or both.
Many other syndicate members are at large, said the police, who added that the operation by Cambodian police is still ongoing and that SPF is working closely with foreign law enforcement agencies to establish their whereabouts and to arrest them.
"This successful operation is a clear signal that no criminals are beyond the reach of law enforcement efforts," said Deputy Commissioner (Investigation & Intelligence) concurrent Director CID, DCP Zhang Weihan.
"We continue to spare no effort to track down those who commit such crimes and ensure that they are brought to justice, wherever they operate."
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dana.leong@asiaone.com
