Singapore, Malaysia police team up to break up illegal horse betting syndicate
SINGAPORE, June 13 — A joint enforcement effort by Singapore and Malaysian police has led to the arrest of 16 people and ongoing investigations into 41 others for their alleged roles in an illegal horse betting syndicate.
The Singapore Police Force (SPF) said in a June 12 statement that those arrested — aged between 50 and 78 — are believed to be linked to a criminal syndicate involved in unlawful betting operations. The cross-border operation, carried out on June 11, saw simultaneous raids across Singapore and one in Malaysia.
In Singapore, officers from the SPF's Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and Special Operations Command raided multiple sites, arresting 14 men and one woman. Items seized included cash, mobile phones, gambling paraphernalia, and three bank accounts holding about US$200,000 (RM662,000) suspected to be criminal proceeds.
In Malaysia, a 53-year-old Singaporean man was arrested during a raid led by the Royal Malaysia Police's (RMP) CID. He is scheduled to be charged in court on June 13 under the Gambling Control Act.
Meanwhile, another 40 men and a woman — aged between 47 and 84 — are being investigated for suspected involvement in illegal betting. Police believe the individuals took on roles as bookmakers, runners, or punters.
The SPF conducted checks across various neighbourhoods including King George's Avenue, Jurong Street 24, Ang Mo Kio Street 22, New Upper Changi Road, Yung Sheng Road, Bukit Batok Street 31 and Marsiling Road. Officers seized over US$17,000 in cash, along with mobile phones and betting-related materials during these operations.
Under the Gambling Control Act, individuals found guilty of gambling with an unlawful service provider face fines of up to US$10,000, jail time of up to six months, or both. Operators of such illegal betting services can be fined up to US$500,000 and jailed for up to seven years.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Investigation and Intelligence) Zhang Weihan, who also heads the CID, said: 'The police take a serious view of all forms of illegal betting activities and work with counterparts such as the RMP to find criminal syndicates.'
He also extended appreciation to Malaysian authorities, saying: 'I would like to thank Commissioner Datuk Seri Mohd Shuhaily Mohd Zain, director of the Criminal Investigation Department of RMP, and his officers for their strong support and commitment in tackling transnational organised criminal groups.'
Zhang added that the SPF will continue to partner international agencies 'to detect and dismantle criminal syndicates wherever they choose to operate'.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Free Malaysia Today
3 hours ago
- Free Malaysia Today
MACC secures RM4.5mil forfeiture linked to 1MDB from Swiss bank account
MACC said this marks the first successful forfeiture of overseas assets linked to 1MDB without involving prosecution. (AP pic) PETALING JAYA : The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission has secured the forfeiture of US$954,299.58 (RM4.5 million) from a Swiss bank account linked to the misappropriation of 1MDB funds. MACC said the Kuala Lumpur High Court allowed the forfeiture today after the deputy public prosecutor informed the court that there were no objections or claims made by any party during the proceedings. 'Justice K Muniandy granted the application to forfeit the funds held in a BSI Bank account in Switzerland under the name of Derivale Ltd, whose beneficiary is Azlin Alias,' it said in a statement. The forfeiture was carried out under Section 56 of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001. According to MACC, this marks the first successful forfeiture of overseas assets without involving prosecution. It said the funds will now be transferred to the government as part of ongoing recovery efforts related to the 1MDB scandal. Last month, MACC chief Azam Baki said repatriating assets linked to 1MDB remained a difficult process as many of these stolen assets were located overseas. He said the complex nature of the case made international cooperation crucial, especially when it came to tracing and retrieving funds that were siphoned into multiple countries. Azam also said Malaysia lost an estimated RM277 billion to corruption between 2018 and 2023 – an average of RM55 billion a year – describing the amount as 'very alarming'.
Free Malaysia Today
4 hours ago
- Free Malaysia Today
Sabah PKR supports legal action in mining scandal
Sabah PKR chief Mustapha Sakmud said the issue of mining licensing has long been a matter of concern for Sabahans. (Facebook pic) PETALING JAYA : Sabah PKR has welcomed a statement by Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission chief Azam Baki that charges will be laid against those involved in an alleged mining scandal in the state. Sabah PKR chief Mustapha Sakmud said mining licensing has long been a matter of concern for Sabahans, who hope that the state's natural resources are managed fairly and used to benefit all. In a statement, Mustapha said transparency, integrity and accountability must be the foundation of every decision involving the state's resources. 'Sabah PKR believes that these (charges) will send an important message that the culture of abuse of power will no longer be tolerated. 'It is time for Sabah to strengthen its standards of governance with greater credibility and integrity,' he said. Yesterday, Azam said he would make an announcement soon about the 'one or two individuals' to be charged in court in connection with the alleged mining scandal. On June 6, a source from MACC said the investigation papers had been completed and submitted to the Attorney-General's Chambers two weeks earlier and that several individuals could be charged.
Free Malaysia Today
5 hours ago
- Free Malaysia Today
Pedestrian hit by car, feared drowned in KL river
Police said the car that hit the pedestrian plunged under a bridge and landed between concrete structures and iron pipes. KUALA LUMPUR : A pedestrian is believed to have drowned after falling into a river when he was hit by a car that skidded on Jalan Ipoh heading towards the Kepong roundabout this morning. Kuala Lumpur traffic investigation and enforcement department chief Zamzuri Isa said the accident, which occurred at about 11.45am, involved two cars and the pedestrian. 'An initial investigation found that a car driven by a 39-year-old Bangladeshi man lost control and collided with another car driven by a 43-year-old Vietnamese woman,' he said in a statement. 'The first car then struck a pedestrian before plunging under a bridge and getting caught between concrete structures and iron pipes.' The driver sustained injuries and was sent to Kuala Lumpur Hospital for treatment, while the pedestrian, whose identity is still unknown, is suspected to have fallen into the river and has yet to be found. Zamzuri said a search and rescue operation was under way at the time of writing. He said further investigations revealed that the car did not belong to the Bangladeshi national, and police were tracking down the owner for further action. The case is being investigated under Section 42(1) of the Road Transport Act 1987 for reckless and dangerous driving, and the driver will be detained for further investigation.
