The Police have arrested 35 men and 1 woman, aged between 26 and 63, for their suspected involvement in providing unlawful remote gambling services, operating a common gaming house, gaming in a common gaming house and operating an unlicensed moneylending syndicate.
In an operation conducted on 22 June 2021, Police officers from the Criminal Investigation Department, Police Intelligence Department, and Special Operations Command mounted simultaneous raids at multiple locations island-wide, including Potong Pasir, Serangoon, Toa Payoh, Tampines, Bishan, Hougang, Pasir Ris, Punggol, Woodlands, Telok Blangah, Tanjong Pagar and Bukit Batok, resulting in the arrests. During the operation, cash amounting to more than $770,000 and electronic devices such as computers and mobile phones, pre-paid cards and gambling-related documents were seized. The Police also froze the suspects’ bank accounts.
Ten men aged between 28 and 63, will be charged in court on 23 June 2021 with offences under the Remote Gambling Act 2014 and the Moneylenders’ Act.
Under Section 8(1)(b) of the Remote Gambling Act 2014, an individual who, in Singapore, gambles using remote communication and using a remote gambling service that is not provided by a person otherwise exempt shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $5,000, imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months, or both.
Under Section 9(1)(d) of the Remote Gambling Act, any person who facilitates participation by others in remote gambling in accordance with arrangements made by a principal of the agent, which may include allowing a person to participate in such remote gambling, shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine of not less than $20,000 and not more than $200,000, imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years, or both.
Under Sec 9(1)(e) of the same Act, any person who assists in providing unlawful remote gambling service for another shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine of not less than $20,000 and not more than $200,000, imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years, or both.
Under Section 4(1)(c) of the Common Gaming Houses Act, any person who assists in the management of a place kept or used as a common gaming house shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine of not less than $5,000 and not more than $50,000, and imprisonment for a term not exceeding three years. Under Section 5 of the Betting Act, any person who bets in a common betting-house shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $5,000, imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months, or both. Any person who acts as a bookmaker in any place shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not less than $20,000 and not more than $200,000, and imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years.
Under the Moneylenders’ Act (Revised Edition 2010), when a bank account, ATM card or Internet Banking token of any person is used to facilitate moneylending by an unlicensed moneylender, that person is presumed to have assisted in carrying on the business of unlicensed moneylending. First-time offenders found guilty of carrying on or assisting in a business of unlicensed moneylending shall be punished with a fine between $30,000 and $300,000, be imprisoned for a term of up to four years and caning of up to six strokes.
The Police will continue to take tough enforcement action and clamp down on criminal activities, including remote gambling and loansharking. Those found engaging in illicit activities will be dealt with sternly in accordance with the law.
Gambling-related paraphernalia seized
SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE
23 June 2021 @ 8:00 AM