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SINGAPORE - Four separate cases of loansharking activities havenetted a total of 11 people between the ages of 14 to 44 years fortheir suspected involvement. In the first case, on May 2 at about 5.00pm, acting on informationreceived, police officers arrested a 47-year-old man in thevicinity of Geylang. He was found to be in possession of two ATM cards and a mobilephone believed to contain debtors' information. Preliminary investigations revealed that the suspect is adebtor-turned-runner, and he is believed to have assisted theloanshark syndicates to perform electronic fund transactions viaATMs. On the same day, at about 9.20 pm, police officers in a follow-upinvestigation arrested an 18-year-old teen along Yishun Street 21. The teen is also believed to be a debtor-turned-runner, who hadcommitted several cases of loanshark harassment by splashing paintand scrawling loanshark-related graffiti on the walls of HDB blocksin the Yishun housing estate. About an hour later, at 10.50pm, police received a call regarding agroup of teenagers playing with sparklers in the vicinity ofMayflower Ave. Officers arrived at the scene to find two male subjects aged 14 and19 years and a 17-year-old female. Following a check and an interview by the officers, the three werearrested for committing acts of harassment to debtors together withthree other accomplices. The three other accomplices were two males aged 16 and 18 years andanother 17-year-old female. They were arrested at their residencesin Toa Payoh and Ang Mo Kio. These six teens are believed to have conducted several incidencesof loanshark harassment in Sengkang, Bedok, Tampines, Pasir Ris,Bukit Merah and Jurong by splashing paint on debtors' doors andscrawling loanshark-related graffiti on the walls. Following these arrests, another 19-year-old male was arrested inthe vicinity of Ang Mo Kio Ave 9 on the next day at about 4.50am. It is believed that he had assisted the loansharks by arranging forthe six suspects to harass debtors, and subsequently transferringthe payment from the loansharks to the suspects. Loanshark related paraphernalia such as mobile phones believe tocontain debtors' records, ATM cards, markers, caps and a knife wereseized. In the last case, on May 3 at about 2.20pm, officers arrested a36-year-old woman in the vicinity of Ang Mo Kio Ave 9 for suspectedinvolvement in loansharking activities. The woman had opened a bank account and given away her ATM card andPersonal Identification Number (PIN) to loansharking syndicates tofacilitate the business of unlicensed moneylending. Following her arrest, a 44-year-old man in the same area wasarrested. The debtor-turned-runner is suspected of having assistedloansharks by carrying out electronic fund transactions via ATMsand allowing his bank accounts and ATM cards to be used by theloansharks. Upon his arrest, several ATM cards were found on him. All nine suspects in the first, second and third case will becharged in Court on May 4. Investigations against the two suspects involved in the last caseare still on-going. Under the law, a person found guilty of giving his or her bankaccount or ATM card of to loansharks for the purpose offacilitating the business of illegal moneylending can be fined upto $300,000, imprisoned for up to four years, and be liable forcaning of up to six strokes. First time offenders found guilty of loanshark harassment can befined up to $50,000, with a mandatory imprisonment term of up tofive years and caning of up to six strokes. yamadak@sph.com.sg. We are high quality suppliers, our products such as WDR CCTV Camera Manufacturer , Vandalproof Dome Camera Manufacturer for oversee buyer. To know more, please visits CCTV Camera Housing.
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