Singapore police arrest seven men for running illegal online gambling games
The Singapore Police Force (SPF) have arrested seven men suspected of running an international illegal online gambling operation.
The operation took place on October 5 and resulted in the arrest of seven men aged between 28 and 53. The SPF worked with the FBI and Meta to gather evidence to support the arrests.
In March 2023, the FPS first received information that victims had been convinced to open accounts on an online gaming site and purchase gaming credits by transferring money to the site. Although victims might initially successfully recover their winnings from the games, continuing to play would cause them to choose between winning more money or purchasing more credits.
Several victims of the scheme lost more than 175,000 Singapore dollars (about $135,000). Initial investigations by the SPF led authorities to believe that an international group was behind the illegal gaming network, targeting victims across Asia, not just Singapore.
At this point, the SPF began gathering information from the FBI and Meta about the alleged gambling activities. Further investigations led to the arrest of the group’s members, with officers from the Criminal Investigation Department and the Police Intelligence Department mounting simultaneous raids in several locations across Singapore.
In addition to the arrest of seven men, cash, 15 bank accounts and a luxury watch were seized, with a total estimated value of more than 500,000 Singapore dollars ($386,000). Electronic devices such as computers, mobile phones and SIM cards were also seized by police.
What’s Next for Allegedly Illegal Online Gambling Network?
Four of them will be charged in court on October 6, while police investigations are still ongoing against the other three men. Potential penalties for the charges against the men include fines of up to S$500,000 and imprisonment of up to 10 years.
“Singapore Police takes all forms of illegal betting activities seriously and will continue to take strong enforcement action and prosecute those involved to the fullest extent of the law, wherever they choose to operate,” said CID deputy director Senior Assistant Commissioner of Police (SAC) Yeo Yee Chuan. “To combat transnational organized crime, the FPS will work closely with its foreign counterparts to detect and deter these syndicates. The public is advised to avoid all forms of illegal gambling.”
Featured Image: Singapore Police Force
Singapore Police Arrest Seven Men For Running Illegal Online Betting Games appeared first on ReadWrite.
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