28 arrested, over $1.2m seized in remote gambling syndicate bust
Twenty-eight people aged between 33 and 71 were arrested for suspected involvement in providing illegal remote 4-D, Toto and horse betting services, with more than $1.2 million seized in the two-hour police operation.
The 27 men and one woman are believed to belong to a remote gambling syndicate that purportedly used betting websites and phone messaging apps to facilitate their illegal remote betting activities.
On Tuesday, more than 180 police officers from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Police Intelligence Department and Special Operations Command conducted simultaneous raids at multiple locations islandwide, including Tampines, Punggol, Sengkang, Hougang and Yishun, resulting in the arrests.
Cash amounting to more than $1.2 million - one of the largest sums seized in a single police operation against illegal remote gambling - as well as items such as computers, mobile phones and betting records were seized.
The police also initiated the freezing of the suspects' bank accounts for investigations and to prevent dissipation of suspected criminal proceeds.
Six men, aged between 38 and 49, were charged in court yesterday for offences under the Remote Gambling Act 2014.
Investigations are ongoing.
If convicted, they face a fine of between $20,000 and $200,000, and a maximum jail term of five years, or both.
CID director and Senior Assistant Commissioner of Police How Kwang Hwee said in a statement that this operation is part of the police's ongoing efforts to "disrupt and dismantle" criminal syndicates in Singapore.
He added: "The police will take tough enforcement action against such criminal groups to clamp down on illegal remote gambling and betting activities in Singapore."
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