SPF & Cambodia police conduct cross-border raid on Phnom Penh scam syndicate, 12 arrested in S'pore

The Singapore Police Force (SPF), in a joint operation with the Cambodian National Police (CNP), arrested 12 individuals on Sep. 9 for being suspected members of a criminal syndicate carrying out government official impersonation scams in Singapore.

They are believed to be responsible for at least 330 reported cases involving losses of more than S$40 million.

In Phnom Penh, the CNP also carried out raids on a building and a warehouse, leading to the discovery and seizure of more than S$2.5 million worth of funds.

Joint operation

In a Sep. 10 news release, SPF said that following joint investigations between the SPF and CNP, it was established that the syndicate was secretly operating out of a scam centre in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, and targeted victims in Singapore.

Preliminary findings indicated that members of the syndicate travelled to Cambodia willingly and earned commissions for each successful scam.

On Sep. 9, a cross-border joint operation was carried out in both Singapore and Cambodia.

In Singapore, officers from SPF's Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and Police Intelligence Department (PID) conducted raids across multiple locations, including residential apartments and hotel rooms.

This led to the arrest of 12 persons, some of whom are believed to have acted as callers and had just returned to Singapore from Cambodia.

Of the 12 arrested, eight were Singaporean men, one was a Singaporean woman, two were Malaysian men, and one was a Filipino woman.

In Phnom Penh, CNP raided a building and a warehouse, leading to the seizure of S$2.5 million worth of funds from bank accounts and cryptocurrency wallets, 53 electronic devices, copies of scam scripts and victims' records.

Long arm of the law

The 12 persons arrested in Singapore will be charged in court on Sep. 11 for being members of a locally-linked organised criminal group, under the Organised Crime Act 2015.

If convicted, they face a fine of up to S$100,000, imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years, or both.

Noting that many other syndicate members are still at large, SPF said: "The operation by CNP is still ongoing, and the SPF is working closely with foreign law enforcement agencies to establish their whereabouts and to arrest them."

Zhang Weihan, Deputy Commissioner (Investigation and Intelligence) and CID Director, remarked: "The SPF and the CNP have disrupted a major cross-border organised criminal group involved in scams. This successful operation is a clear signal that no criminals are beyond the reach of law enforcement agencies."

He added that SPF will continue to pursue criminals who think they can get away with targeting Singapore from abroad, and will spare no effort in bringing these people to justice.

SPF also wrote in the press release that the scam situation remains of concern, and that the Government will continue to work on safeguards and measures to make it harder for scammers to target Singaporeans, including working with foreign counterparts.

Top image via SPF