Fugitive couple in luxury goods scam caught in JB, to face charges in S'pore

They went to Malaysia after attempting to flee to Thailand.

Belmont Lay| August 11, 2022, 06:53 PM

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A fugitive couple, who allegedly scammed millions of dollars from luxury goods buyers, were arrested in Johor Bahru on Aug. 11, CNA and Straits Times reported.

They fled Singapore about a month ago by hiding in a lorry container compartment.

Singaporean Pi Jiapeng, 26, and his Thai wife, Pansuk Siriwipa, 27, are accused of taking millions of dollars from their customers but failing to delivery luxury bags and watches.

Hiding in JB

The Singapore Police Force (SPF) said on Thursday it received information from the Royal Thai Police on Wednesday that Pi and Pansuk may be hiding in a hotel in Johor Bahru.

The Singapore police then sought the Royal Malaysia Police's help to find the couple.

The couple was arrested by Malaysian police on Thursday and handed over to SPF.

Arrest warrants and Interpol red notices were issued against them.

This was after at least 180 police reports involving the two companies they were behind, Tradenation and Tradeluxury, were lodged since June.

They will be charged in court on Friday, SPF said.

Two others already charged

Two Malaysian men have already been charged with helping the couple escape Singapore.

They were charged with conspiring to arrange for the couple to be smuggled out in a Malaysia-registered lorry through Tuas Checkpoint on July 4.

The men, Mohamad Fazli Abdul Rahman, 38, and lorry driver Mohamed Alias, 40, have said they want to plead guilty.

They have been remanded in Singapore since they were arrested as they are flight risks.

Pi, who was born in Fujian province in China, was initially arrested in Singapore on June 27.

He had his passport impounded and was released on bail on June 28, pending the completion of investigations.

Pansuk was assisting the police with investigations and surrendered her passport to officers on June 30.

They could not be contacted subsequently.

Top photo via Shin Min Daily News