SPF conducts nation-wide operation, investigate 309 scammers and money mules

Officers from the Commercial Affairs Department and the seven Police Land Divisions carried out a two-week operation between 12 April and 25 April 2024. A complete of 214 males and 95 ladies, aged between 16 and 75, are aiding in investigations for his or her suspected involvement in scams as scammers or money mules, an official launch from the Singapore Police Force mentioned.

The suspects are believed to be concerned in additional than 1,600 instances of scams, comprising primarily funding scams, web love scams, job scams, good friend impersonation scams, and e-commerce scams, the place victims reportedly misplaced over SGD 9 million.

The individuals are being investigated for the alleged offences of dishonest, money laundering or offering fee companies and not using a licence. The offence of dishonest beneath Section 420 of the Penal Code 1871 carries an imprisonment time period of as much as 10 years and a high quality.

The offence of money laundering beneath the Corruption, Drug Trafficking and Other Serious Crimes (Confiscation of Benefits) Act 1992 carries an imprisonment time period of as much as 10 years, a high quality of as much as SGD 500,000, or each.

The offence of carrying on a enterprise to offer any sort of fee service in Singapore and not using a licence beneath Section 5 of the Payment Services Act 2019 carries a high quality of as much as SGD 125,000, an imprisonment time period of as much as three years, or each.