124 nabbed in islandwide anti-loansharking operation
AsiaOne
Thursday, Jan 23, 2014
SINGAPORE - A total of 124 suspects, aged between 15 and 64, were arrested by the police after an islandwide anti-loansharking operation that took place from Monday to Wednesday.
During the 61-hour operation, officers from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and the six Police land divisions conducted simultaneous raids at multiple locations in Singapore, resulting in the arrests.
These include areas such as Ang Mo Kio, Clementi, Jurong, Bendemeer, Toa Payoh and Tampines.
Preliminary investigations revealed that four of the suspects were believed to have acted as runners who had facilitated the loansharks in their businesses by collecting Automated Teller Machine (ATM) cards and loan repayments; and carrying out ATM transfers.
Nine suspects who were believed to have provided false contact information when obtaining loans from loansharks were also arrested.
Investigations under National Registration Act will also be carried out against these nine suspects for failing to report change of address.
The remaining 111 suspects were believed to have opened bank accounts and given away their ATM cards and Personal Identification Numbers (PINs) to loansharks.
Investigations against all the suspects are ongoing.
Under the Moneylender Act, when a bank account or ATM card of any person is used to facilitate moneylending by an unlicensed moneylender, that person is presumed to have assisted in the carrying on the business of unlicensed moneylending.
First-time offenders found guilty of assisting in the business of unlicensed moneylending may be fined not less than $30,000 and not more $300,000, be imprisoned for a term not exceeding four years and shall also be liable to be punished with caning not more than six strokes.
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 5 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 3 and not more than 6 strokes.
Any person who is guilty of providing false contact information to obtain loans from loansharks shall be liable upon conviction to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months. Under the National Registration Act, any person who is guilty of an offence of failing to report a change of address shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $5,000/- or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 5 years or to both.
Members of public are advised to stay away from loansharks and not to work with or assist loansharks in any way.
The public can call the Police at '999' or the X-Ah Long hotline at 1800 924 5664 if they suspect or know of anyone who could be involved in illegal loansharking activities.
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