Three men arrested in Hougang for loanshark activities

SINGAPORE - Three men aged between 16 and 31 have been arrested by the police for their suspected involvement in two separate cases of loansharking activities.

In the first case, a 31-year-old suspect was arrested by police in the vicinity of Hougang Avenue 4 on July 7 at about 2.20 pm.

Preliminary investigations revealed that the suspect is believed to have committed loanshark harassments in the housing estate of Yishun by splashing paint on the doors of debtors and leaving behind debtor notes demanding for repayments from debtors.

Separately, two male suspects aged 16 and 17-years-old were arrested in the vicinity of Hougang Street 91 on the same day. They were believed to have committed loanshark harassments in Hougang.

The first suspect would be charged in Court on July 9 for loanshark harassment.

Under the Moneylenders Act, first-time offenders found guilty of acting on behalf of an unlicensed moneylender, committing or attempting to commit any acts of harassment shall be punished with imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years, a fine of not less than $5,000 and not more than $50,000, and shall also be liable to caning of not less than three and not more than six strokes.

grongloh@sph.com.sg