As part of the islandwide raid to crack down on a transnational money laundering syndicate residing in Singapore, nine men and one woman were arrested and more than S$1 billion worth of properties, cars, luxury goods, and cash among other items were seized by the Singapore Police Force.
Three Cambodian nationals, three Chinese nationals, two Cypriot nationals, one Turkish national and one Ni-Vanuatu national were charged in court on Aug. 16 evening, in a rare night session.
They were believed to have been laundering the proceeds of overseas-organised crimes, such as scams and online gambling.
Neighbour provides photo
According to Shin Min Daily News, a reporter paid a visit to the Good Class Bungalow residence of one of the suspects, Cypriot national, Su Haijin, 40, located along Ewart Park.
A neighbour of the suspect gave Shin Min a photo which showed an arrest being carried out on Aug, 15 at 7am.
The photo was taken by another resident who thought that the bungalow was being robbed.
via Shin Min Daily News
The neighbour who spoke to Shin Min did not want to be named.
They claimed Su was the occupant of the bungalow and moved in around 2019.
The neighbour told Shin Min: "He and his wife were seldom seen around, and they often enter and leave through the underground car park. In addition, many trees have been planted after they moved in, which gave the place an air of mystery."
A barefooted man in shorts was seen subdued near the drain outside the bungalow, surrounded by eight law enforcement officers, four of whom were wearing hoods or balaclavas.
What happened during arrest
According to the police release, Su is charged with one count of resisting lawful apprehension by the police.
During the arrest, the police identified themselves to the man outside his bedroom and ordered him to open the door.
However, the man allegedly jumped out of the second-floor balcony of the GCB and was later found hiding in a drain.
He was then sent to the hospital for injuries sustained from the jump.
According to his charge sheet, he refused to open the door of the room he was in and “exited” the room from the second-floor balcony.
The police said they arrested him at his residence.
They found him possessing other foreign passports believed to be issued by China and Cambodia.
What suspect said in court
According to Shin Min, Su claimed in court via video link from hospital, without being represented by a lawyer, that he was not resisting arrest.
It was reported that Su broke his hands and legs due to the fall from height.
Su claimed he did not know it was the police knocking at his door, after details of his charge were read out in court.
He added that he had just mistakenly thought that there was an intruder at home, and accidentally fell out of the balcony when he checked it out.
Speaking in Mandarin, he said via an interpreter that he thought the knocks came from someone who was threatening to kill him.
The accused, who is married, also claimed that he was intimately involved with a woman in Dubai in July 2022, and her boyfriend had threatened to kill him.
He was apparently asked to pay up S$100,000 or he would be harmed.
He then apparently hid in the drain to escape when he heard the sound of a firearm being discharged.
He also claimed he could have jumped and landed onto a sofa on the ground floor if his intention was to escape from the police.
The judge stopped Su from speaking further after 10 minutes, The Straits Times reported.
Su also requested to be released on bail, but the judge granted the prosecution’s application for him to be remanded at Changi General Hospital.
The 10 suspects are remanded for further investigations.
Top photo via Shin Min Daily News