Loansharking-related arrests

QX179R SG

Tenth Loanshark Syndicate busted this year

Police have busted a tenth loanshark syndicate this year.

It's believed to be behind more than 130 cases of loanshark harassment islandwide.

Five suspected members, all men, aged 23 to 36 were arrested yesterday in a raid of areas like Tampines and Upper Bukit Timah.

Items including mobile phones, computers, ATM cards and cash of about $8,000 dollars were also seized.

Preliminary investigations show the syndicate had also used electronic means to issue loans and collect repayments from debtors.

Investigations are ongoing.

Separately, police have also arrested three Indian men aged 20 to 22 for their suspected involvement in loanshark harassment.

On Friday midnight, a member of the public called the police after spotting a man splashing paint on a unit at Sembawang Drive.

The man then drove off before the police arrived.

But the member of public had taken down the culprit's vehicle number.

Acting on this, Police identified the three suspects and arrested them later in the same day.

They're believed to be involved in cases of loanshark harassment in Tampines, Sembawang and Yishun.

--938Live

AYYX SG

Wonder why suddenly the surge in arresting the loan sharks.

Finance institutions no business????

Or maybe someone finally getting down to running around and doing some work liao. XD

Jazzly SG

wow, look like alot of loan shark being arrested this year.

AYYX SG

Can have shark fin feast le. XD

QX179R SG

3 men nabbed for loansharking activities

SINGAPORE: Police have nabbed two men for suspected involvement in loansharking activities. The arrest happened on Monday at about 10.20pm along Yishun Avenue 1.

Officers had noticed the suspects behaving suspiciously while on an anti-crime patrol.

Upon checking, several handphones suspected of containing loansharking-related messages and markers were found in their possession.

It is believed the men, aged 19 and 20, had helped loansharks to issue debtor notes for loan repayments.

Both suspects will be charged in court on Wednesday. If convicted, they could be fined up to S$200,000 and jailed for up to two years.

Separately, a debtor turned runner for loansharks has also been arrested. The 36-year-old suspect was nabbed on Tuesday at about 11am in the vicinity of Jurong East Street 13.

This came in the wake of investigations into several reports of loanshark harassment in the Teban Garden area.

Loansharking-related paraphernalia including mobile phones, suspected debtors' records, ATM cards, cash of about S$500 and several bank transaction receipts were seized from the suspect.

- CNA/vm

QX179R SG

Debtor-turned runner arrested

Police have arrested a 26-year-old debtor-turned-runner yesterday for loanshark harassment.

They were informed of a case of loanshark harassment in the vicinity of Hougang Avenue 7 at about 7.50am on Saturday.

Upon a search, police found paraphernalia related to loanshark harassement such as a bicycle chain lock, suspected debtors' records and marker pens in the man's posession.

Preliminary investigations indicated that the suspect is believed to be a debtor-turned-runner who had assisted the loansharks to harass other debtors to pay off his debts.

The suspect will be charged in court on Monday for loanshark harassment under the Moneylenders' Act 2008.

First-time offenders found guilty of loanshark harassment may be fined up to 40,000 dollars or jailed for up to 3 years, or both.

Caning may be imposed on those who cause damage to property or harm to others while committing acts of loanshark harassment.

--938Live

QX179R SG

2 men arrested for involvement in recruitment of loanshark runners

SINGAPORE: Police arrested two men, aged 29 and 31, on Monday for suspected involvement in loan-sharking activities and in recruiting loanshark runners for an unlicensed money-lending syndicate.

The arrests came as follow up to a case of loanshark harassment at Hougang Ave 7 on September 12. As a result, one suspect was caught in Tampines and the other in Bedok.

Items used like permanent markers, masks, debtor's notes and mobile phones were seized.

The suspects will be charged in court on Thursday and first-time offenders found guilty of assisting in the business of an unlicensed moneylender may be fined up to S$200,000 or imprisoned up to two years or both.

First-time offenders found guilty of loanshark harassment may be fined up to S$40,000 or imprisonment up to three years or both.

In addition, offenders will be caned if damage to property or harm to others was caused in the course of committing the offence.

- CNA/vm

QX179R SG

8 people arrested by police in connection with a suspected loanshark syndicate

SINGAPORE: Eight people, including three women were arrested by police in connection with a suspected loanshark syndicate.

The suspected head of the syndicate was also arrested in the operation.

The arrests were made after intensive probes by officers from the Criminal Investigation Department and the Police Intelligence Department.

Police carried out raids at several locations including Woodlands, Depot Road, Clementi, Beo Crescent and Telok Blangah.

They also seized cash amounting to some S$16,000, mobile phones, ATM cards, suspected debtor records, and data storage devices including thumb-drives, laptops and computers.

The eight suspects, aged between 22 and 34 years old, are believed to have used electronic fund transfers in the course of their business and conducted harassment in connection with debtors' loans.

Assistant Director of the Specialised Crime Division CID (Covering), DSP Loh Kah Wai, said: "Even where loansharking syndicate members are not directly involved in harassment, they are not absolved of responsibility. From the operators who employ runners to harass debtors to the assistants who check units for harassment and issue loans, all have a role to play in this complex network and are responsible for causing anguish to innocent victims. Police will spare no effort in bringing such syndicates and those involved to task."

First-time offenders found guilty of operating a business as an unlicensed moneylender may be fined up to S$200,000 or jailed up to two years, or both.

First-time offenders found guilty of loanshark harassment may be fined up to S$40,000 or jailed up to three years or both.

Offenders will be liable for caning where harm to persons or damage to property is caused during the course of committing the acts of harassment.

- CNA/vm

QX179R SG

Police nab two suspects for loansharking activities

SINGAPORE : Police have nabbed a 42-year-old man for suspected involvement in loansharking activities.

The arrest was made at about 10am on Thursday in the vicinity of Jurong West Central.

The suspect is believed to be a debtor turned runner who worked for several loansharks by helping them to collect loan repayments.

Separately, a 26-year-old man was nabbed at about 6pm on Wednesday on suspicion of involvement in loanshark harassment.

This follows a case of harassment reported at Tampines Street 22 last month.

Investigations led officers to the suspect, who was arrested at Telok Blangah Drive.

- CNA/ms

QX179R SG

Police nab three suspected loanshark runners

SINGAPORE : Police have nabbed three men for suspected involvement in loansharking activities.

The suspects, aged between 24 and 29, were arrested in two separate cases.

The first case happened on Wednesday at about 12.30pm.

Officers from Ang Mo Kio Police Division arrested a 25-year-old man at Lorong Lew Lian after follow-up investigations in relation to an earlier loanshark harassment case. A mobile phone, a crayon and a bank transaction slip were seized.

Later in the day at about 5.00pm, officers moved in on a man who was spotted committing loanshark harassment in the vicinity of Hougang Ave 8. A mobile phone and some debtors' records were seized from the suspect.

Further investigations led to the arrest of his accomplice on Thursday morning at Hougang Street 61.

Police said first-time offenders found guilty of assisting in the business of an unlicensed moneylender may be fined up to S$200,000, or jailed up to two years, or both.

First-time offenders found guilty of loanshark harassment may be fined up to S$40,000, or imprisoned up to three years, or both.

In addition, offenders will be caned if damage to property or harm to others was caused in the course of committing loanshark harassment.

Repeat offenders may face a fine of up to S$40,000 and imprisonment of up to six years, including caning of up to 18 strokes, if damage was caused to any property or if hurt was caused to another person.

- CNA /ls

QX179R SG

136 youths arrested for loanshark-related activities

SINGAPORE : The Minister for Education, Ng Eng Hen, said 136 youths were arrested for loanshark-related harassment activities between October last year and September this year. Almost half were students.

Dr Ng shared the statistic in a written reply to a parliamentary question from MP for Ang Mo Kio GRC, Lee Bee Wah.

He said the reasons for school children being lured into working for such activities are complex.

Dr Ng said parents, as primary caregivers, must take responsibility to monitor the after-school activities of their children and who they are interacting with so as to provide timely guidance.

He said schools can play a complementary reinforcing role. For example, they can collaborate with relevant agencies or authorities to guide students back on the right track.

- CNA /ls

QX179R SG

Loanshark runner arrested with public help

Police have arrested a 25-year-old loanshark runner with the help of two members of the public.

The two residents, living in the vicinity of Ang Mo Kio Street 31, were alerted by the continuous barking of their dog.

When they went outside their home to check, a man was loitering suspiciously along the corridor.

The man quickly walked away when he noticed the two residents.

The two caught up with the man and detained him.

When Police checked the man, he was found to be carrying a bottle of green paint, crayons, a handphone and notebook with suspected debtors' records.

Police also found some fresh loanshark-related graffiti on the walls.

Preliminary investigations found that he had committed several loanshark harassment acts in the Ang Mo Kio area.

The 25 year-old suspect will be charged in Court tomorrow.

If found guilty, first time offenders could face a maximum fine of $40,000 and imprisoned for 3 years.

He may also be caned if in the course of committing the offence, damage was caused to any property or he had hurt someone.

--938Live

QX179R SG

Loanshark runner arrested

Police arrested a 53-year-old man early this morning for suspected involvement in loanshark activities.

The man was seen behaving suspiciously along a corridor in a HDB block at Edgedale Plains.

He was also seen slotting something into a residential unit.

Police arrested the man after he was found to be in possession of pieces of papers containing reminders to debtors on repayment.

Preliminary investigations revealed that the suspect was a debtor-turned-runner.

The suspect will be charged tomorrow with assisting an unlicensed moneylender under the Moneylenders Act 2008.

He can be fined up to $200,000, jailed for up to 2 years or both.

--938Live

QX179R SG

43-year-old man arrested for suspected loansharking activities

SINGAPORE: Police have arrested a 43-year-old man for suspected involvement in loansharking activities.

The suspect was caught during an anti-loansharking operation around Ang Mo Kio Avenue 10 on Monday.

Police had spotted the man loitering suspiciously along a common corridor. They approached him and found several ATM cards, ATM slips and mobile phones believed to contain debtors' addresses in his possession.

Initial investigations revealed that the suspect was a debtor-turned-runner. He had assisted a loanshark by checking if the debtors were at home.

The man will be charged in court on Wednesday with assisting in an unlicensed moneylender in his business, under the Moneylenders Act 2008.

If he is found to be a first-time offender, he can be fined up to S$200,000 or jailed for up to two years, or both.

- CNA/sc

QX179R SG

15 Singaporeans to be charged with assisting in loanshark activities

SINGAPORE: Fifteen Singaporeans, aged between 18 and 57, will be charged in Court on Friday with assisting in the business of an unlicensed moneylender.

Police investigations revealed that the suspects had opened bank accounts and given their ATM cards and PIN numbers to loanshark syndicates - for monetary gains and to avoid harassment.

The bank accounts were then used by the syndicates for loanshark activities.

The accounts of the suspects have now been frozen pending investigations.

If found guilty, the suspects may be fined up to S$200,000, and jailed up to two years for a first-time offence or up to five years for a repeated offence.

- CNA/sc

QX179R SG

Debtor-turned-runner arrested for loanshark harassment

SINGAPORE: Police arrested a man suspected for loanshark harassment on Wednesday.

Investigations revealed that the suspect had scrawled loanshark-related graffiti and splashed paint in some housing estates, including Serangoon North, Hougang and Ang Mo Kio areas.

The 24-year-old man, who is believed to be a debtor-turned-runner, was nabbed at his residence in Woodlands on Wednesday morning.

First-time offenders may be fined up to S$40,000 or imprisoned for up to three years, or both. They are also liable for caning if they have caused damage to property or harm to any person.

- CNA/so

QX179R SG

Duo arrested for loansharking activities

Police arrested two 22 year old men for suspected involvement in loansharking activities early this morning near Bukit Merah View.

Officers found loansharking-related paraphernalia including some bank transaction receipts, one ATM card and cash of about $3,300 on one of them.

The two were checked after they were spotted behaving suspiciously.

Preliminary investigations showed that the two are believed to have assisted loansharks by collecting debt repayments and arranging for other debtors to open bank accounts for loansharking activities.

Since early November, several cases of loanshark harassment had been reported in the Bukit Merah View housing estate.

One of the men will be charged in court on Thursday.

The other is helping police in their investigations.

First-time offenders found guilty of assisting in the business of an unlicensed moneylender may be fined up to $200,000 or imprisoned up to two years or both.

--938Live

QX179R SG

Teenager pleads guilty to loanshark harassment

SINGAPORE: A 17-year-old boy has pleaded guilty to eight charges of loanshark harassment. The court heard on Thursday that the boy committed the harassment acts between August 13 and 17 this year.

His crime spree started at Block 853, Woodlands Street 83. He and an accomplice vandalised a wall at a staircase landing with black ink and splashed a unit with black paint.

They repeated the act at four other flats that day in different parts of Singapore at places including Tampines and Commonwealth.

On August 17, a resident who had entered a lift with them at Block 16, Marsiling Lane, spotted the paint in the boy's unzipped bag. He asked the pair if they were loanshark harassers.

They denied and tried to flee, but the resident managed to detain and hand them over to the police.

Police officers found six bags of paint, two markers and a street directory on the pair. They also admitted that they were working for an unlicensed moneylender known as "Sunny", claiming that they were given S$40 for every unit harassed.

The 17-year-old also pleaded guilty to being in an unlawful assembly with four others with the common intention to hurt a secondary school student.

He and four others beat up the student at Block 840, Tampines Street 82, on May 4 this year. The victim suffered bruises on his face.

The scuffle had broken out after one of the attackers accused the student of snatching away his girlfriend.

The boy originally faced 16 different charges, but seven were taken into consideration. The other parties involved in these cases will be dealt with separately.

This case will be mentioned again on December 10. For loanshark harassment, the boy could be jailed a maximum of three years and fined up to S$40,000 for each charge.

For being in an unlawful assembly, he could be jailed up to two years and fined.

- 938LIVE/so

QX179R SG

10 arrested for loansharking activities

Police have arrested 10 people, mostly men, for their suspected involvement in loansharking activities.

They were arrested in an island-wide operation, lasting seven hours at various housing estates including Whampoa, Clementi, Jurong and Boon Lay.

ATM cards, bank statements and bank slips were seized.

Initial investigations showed that the suspects are believed to have handed over their bank accounts and ATM cards to unlicensed moneylending syndicates in return for monetary gains.

Four of the suspects are also believed to be debtors-turned-runners.

Investigations are still ongoing.

--938Live

QX179R SG

2 loanshark runners arrested

SINGAPORE: Police have arrested two men aged 28 to 33 years old for suspected involvement in loansharking activities.

At about 9.30 am on Wednesday, officers from Ang Mo Kio Police Division arrested the duo on suspicion of assisting in an unlicensed moneylending business.

Police said an ATM card and a stack of ATM transaction receipts were found on them and seized for investigation.

First-time offenders found guilty of assisting in carrying on an unlicensed moneylending business may be fined up to S$200,000/- or imprisoned up to two years or both.

- CNA/vm

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