4 youths arrested for loanshark harassment
AsiaOne
Friday, Mar 15, 2013
SINGAPORE - Police have arrested four youths, aged 14 to 18, for suspected involvement in a series of island-wide loanshark harassment targeting HDB flats.
In a nine-hour operation on March 14, officers from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) arrested one male and three female youths in the vicinity of Bright Hill Drive, Teck Whye Lane and Ang Mo Kio Avenue 5.
Preliminary investigations indicate that the suspects were believed to be involved in at least 20 cases of loanshark harassment targeting HDB flats, as well as one case of loanshark harassment reported on 13 March 2013 which involved setting fire in the vicinity of a HDB unit along New Upper Changi Road.
One of the suspects, a 16-year-old female, is believed to be a recruiter for a loanshark syndicate. Following her arrest, loanshark-related paraphernalia such as cans of paints were seized as case exhibits.
Three of the suspects will be charged in court on March 16 and the fourth suspect, a 14-year-old female, will be charged in the Juvenile court on March 18 for loanshark harassment.
Under the Moneylenders Act, persons found guilty of committing loanshark 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 be punished with not less than three strokes of the cane.
