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The Police have arrested a 15-year-old Malaysian male teenager for his suspected involvement in money laundering offences.

On 9 and 11 April 2026, the Police received two reports of scams involving applications of Permanent Residency in Singapore. In both cases, the victims had allegedly handed over $7,500 and $2,200 respectively to an unknown person after being instructed by scammers to do so. The victims realised they had fallen victim to scams after checking with ICA on the status of their applications. 

Through extensive follow-up investigations by officers from Bedok Police Division, the identity of the teenager was established and he was arrested on 21 April 2026. 

Preliminary investigations revealed that the teenager was tasked by unknown individuals to collect and then hand over the cash from the victims. The teenager is believed to be involved in other similar cases. 

The teenager will be charged in court on 22 April 2026 with the offence of assisting another to retain benefits from criminal conduct under Section 51(1)(a) of the Corruption, Drug Trafficking and Other Serious Crimes (Confiscation of Benefits) Act 1992, read with Section 109 and Section 108B of the Penal Code 1871. The offence carries an imprisonment term of up to 10 years, a fine not exceeding $500,000, or both. 

The Police take a serious stance against any person who may be involved in scams, and perpetrators will be dealt with in accordance with the law. The Police would like to remind members of the public never to transfer monies, hand monies or other valuables to any unknown persons or persons whose identity they have not verified. With effect from 30 December 2025, scammers and members or recruiters of scam syndicates will face mandatory caning of at least six strokes, which can go up to 24 strokes. Scam mules who enable scammers by laundering scam proceeds will face discretionary caning of up to 12 strokes. This includes certain money-laundering offences under the Corruption, Drug Trafficking and Other Serious Crimes (Confiscation of Benefits) Act, Singpass offences under the Computer Misuse Act; and certain SIM-card offences under the Miscellaneous Offences (Public Order and Nuisance) Act. 

Under the Facility Restriction Framework, individuals involved in mule-related offences – whether they are under investigation and assessed to be at risk, or have been warned, issued with composition sums, prosecuted, or convicted – may face restrictions on banking services and mobile line subscriptions to prevent further facilitation of scams. 

For more information on scams, members of the public can visit www.scamshield.gov.sg or call the ScamShield Helpline at 1799. Anyone with information on such scams may call the Police Hotline at 1800-255-0000 or submit information online at www.police.gov.sg/i-witness. All information will be kept strictly confidential.