Nine men and one woman were charged in court on Aug. 16, 2023, following an islandwide raid on the same day which led to the Singapore Police Force seizing more than S$1 billion worth of properties, cars, luxury goods and others.
They consist of three Cambodian nationals, three Chinese nationals, two Cypriot nationals, one Turkish national and one Ni-Vanuatu national.
Cypriot national with over S$2.2 million in cash in his condo
According to charge sheets, 34-year-old Cypriot national Wang Dehai faces one charge of possessing S$2,299,950 in cash, allegedly criminal proceeds from remote gambling offences.
In their press release, the police said they arrested Wang at his condominium unit along Paterson Hill. He was also found to possess other foreign passports believed to be issued by China and Cambodia.
Other than seizing more than S$2.2 million of cash, the police also confiscated 10 electronic devices, 35 luxury watches and bags, and 51 pieces of jewellery. They also issued prohibition of disposal orders for one property and two vehicles with an estimated value of more than S$23 million.
The police also froze five bank accounts with a total balance of more than S$1.7 million and other foreign currencies suspected to be related to Wang’s offences.
Another Cypriot national jumped out of his GCB's balcony and hid in drain to evade arrest
Another Cypriot national, 40-year-old Su Haijin, is charged with one count of resisting lawful apprehension by the police.
According to his charge sheet, he refused to open the door of the room he was in and “exited” the said room from the second-floor balcony.
The police said they arrested him at his Good Class Bungalow (GCB) residence along Ewart Park.
They found him possessing other foreign passports believed to be issued by China and Cambodia.
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 to be hiding in a drain.
He was then sent to the hospital for injuries sustained from the jump.
The police seized cash of more than S$2.1 million and other foreign currencies. They issued prohibition of disposal orders for 13 properties and five vehicles with an estimated value of more than S$118 million.
They also seized multiple ornaments and bottles of liquor and wine, and froze four bank accounts with a total balance of more than S$6.7 million.
A Turkish national with four properties and three cars worth more than S$29 million
A 42-year-old Turkish national, Vang Shuiming, faces one charge of fraudulently using a forged document by submitting a fake bank statement to another bank in Singapore.
Vang was arrested at his GCB along Bishopsgate, and police found him to have foreign passports believed to be issued by China and Vanuatu.
The police seized close to S$720,000 in cash and other foreign currencies, bottles of wine, one electronic device, 36 luxury watches and bags, and issued prohibition of disposal orders for four properties and three vehicles with an estimated value of more than S$29 million.
They also froze two bank accounts with a total balance of more than S$1.18 million and other foreign currencies.
A Ni-Vanuatu national with 13 properties and four cars worth over S$120 million
A 35-year-old Ni-Vanuatu national, Su Jianfeng, is charged with possessing S$550,903 in cash, allegedly criminal proceeds from remote gambling offences.
The police arrested him at his GCB along Third Avenue, and he was found to possess a foreign passport believed to be issued by China.
The police seized more than S$1.4 million in cash and other foreign currencies, 95 pieces of jewellery, 69 luxury bags and watches, 22 electronic devices, and two gold bars. They issued prohibition of disposal orders for 13 properties and four vehicles with an estimated value of more than S$120 million.
The police also froze six bank accounts with a total balance of more than S$20 million and other foreign currencies.
A Cambodian national with S$10 million in bank accounts
A 31-year-old Cambodian national, Su Wenqiang, faces one charge of possessing S$601,706 in cash, allegedly criminal proceeds from remote gambling offences.
He was arrested by the police at his GCB along Lewis Road and was found to possess a foreign passport believed to be issued by China.
The police seized cash of more than S$600,000 and other foreign currencies, bottles of wine, 11 electronic devices, 14 luxury bags and watches, and 11 pieces of jewellery, and issued prohibition of disposal orders for two vehicles with an estimated value of more than S$580,000.
They also froze eight related bank accounts with a total balance of more than S$10 million and other foreign currencies.
A Cambodian national with seven properties and six vehicles worth more than S$76 million
Another Cambodian national, 41-year-old Su Baolin, was charged with one count of fraudulently using a forged document by submitting an allegedly fake income declaration certificate to a bank in Singapore.
He was arrested at his GCB along Nassim Road and was found to possess a foreign passport believed to be issued by China.
The police seized cash of more than S$777,000 and other foreign currencies, 11 electronic devices, 33 luxury bags and watches, and 75 pieces of jewellery, and issued prohibition of disposal orders for seven properties and six vehicles with an estimated value of more than S$76 million.
They also froze three related bank accounts with a total balance of more than S$2.4 million.
A Cambodian national with "virtual assets" of undisclosed value
A third Cambodian national, 33-year-old Chen Qingyuan, faces one charge of possessing cash of S$598,316 and various foreign currencies, which were criminal proceeds from cheating offences.
Chen was arrested at a condominium along Leonie Hill Road and was found to possess foreign passports believed to be issued by China and the Dominican Republic.
The police seized cash of close to S$600,000 and other foreign currencies, 23 pieces of jewellery, six luxury watches, 11 documents with information on virtual assets, and 12 electronic devices, and issued prohibition of disposal orders for one property and three vehicles with an estimated value of more than S$12.6 million.
They also froze two related bank accounts with a total balance of more than S$28,000 and other foreign currencies.
Chinese man & woman arrested in Sentosa together
Two Chinese nationals, 44-year-old Zhang Ruijin and 43-year-old Lin Baoying, were arrested at their residence at a bungalow along Pearl Island at Sentosa Cove.
They each face forgery charges for cheating a bank with false documents claiming they own and sold a property in Macau.
Zhang was found to possess a foreign passport, which was believed to be issued by St Kitts and Nevis, while Lin was found with foreign passports that were believed to be issued by the Dominican Republic and Turkey.
The police seized cash of more than S$7.6 million and other foreign currencies and issued prohibition of disposal orders for nine properties and five vehicles with an estimated value of more than S$106 million.
They also froze a bank account with a total balance of more than S$22 million and other foreign currencies.
Chinese national arrested with S$112,000 cash
A third Chinese national, 31-year-old Wang Baosen, faces a charge of possessing S$112,000 and other currencies in cash, which were allegedly criminal proceeds from remote gambling offences.
Wang was arrested at his residence at a condominium along Tomlinson Road and was found to possess a foreign passport believed to be issued by Vanuatu.
The police seized cash of close to S$112,000 and other foreign currencies and three electronic devices and issued prohibition of disposal order for one vehicle with an estimated value of more than S$300,000.
All 10 people, except Su Haijin, are being remanded at Central Police Division for investigations. Su Haijin will be remanded after his stay in hospital.
"If we catch you, we will arrest you": Police CAD chief
If convicted of money laundering, the maximum penalty is imprisonment for up to 10 years, a fine of up to S$500,000, or both.
The offence of forgery for cheating carries a punishment of up to 10 years imprisonment and a fine.
Anyone found guilty of using a forged document will face a jail term of up to four years, a fine, or both.
If convicted of resistance to lawful apprehension, the maximum penalty is imprisonment of up to one year, a fine, or both.
Eight other persons are currently wanted by the police and more assets may be seized as police investigations progress.
Director of the Commercial Affairs Department, David Chew, reiterated the police’s serious stance against criminals laundering their criminal proceeds through Singapore’s financial system.
He said in the press release, “Our message to these criminals is simple - if we catch you, we will arrest you. If we find your ill-gotten gains, we will seize them. We will deal with you to the fullest extent of our laws.”
Top image via Singapore Police Force