Cybercrime , Fraud Management & Cybercrime , Geo Focus: Asia

Singapore Police Round Up Global Cybercrime Syndicate

Singapore police arrested five Chinese nationals and seized cryptocurrency assets. It said the group led an international crime organization that used specialized hacking tools and credentials for internet servers to carry out cyberattacks. A Singapore national faces charges related to helping the group.

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Police arrested the men, who are between 32 and 42 years old, at three different locations on Sept. 9. The arrests were part of a joint law enforcement operation involving 160 officers from its criminal investigation, intelligence, internal security and special operations departments.

Police also arrested a 34-year-old Singaporean national who allegedly aided the Chinese nationals. Authorities charged all six individuals in court on Sept. 10 under various sections of the Computer Misuse Act. They could face a fine of up to $5,000 or imprisonment of up to 2 years or both.

The investigators confiscated SG$24,000 in cryptocurrency and a laptop containing credentials for internet servers used by known hacker groups from one suspect, and they seized other computer hacking tools, stolen personally identifiable information and specialized software to control malware from other suspects. Authorities seized a total of SG$1.4 million in cash, eight laptops and 20 mobile phones.

The arrests follow heightened concerns about cybercrime. Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat announced in May the creation of the Cyber Police National Service, which will enable full-time national servicemen to join the Cybercrime Command and Anti-Scam Command to investigate cybercrimes.

The announcement came after police reported that scams and cybercrimes accounted for more than 70% of all reported crimes in the country in 2023, up from just 48% three years ago.

In June, the Singapore Police Force led a multijurisdictional law enforcement operation to dismantle a regional cybercrime ring that carried out malware-enabled scams to steal tens of millions of dollars from victims (see: Police Dismantle Asian Crime Ring Behind $25M Android Fraud).

The cybercrime group victimized 1,899 people in Singapore and stole up to $25 million from their bank accounts in 2023, the SPF said. Police coordinated a seven-month joint investigation, dubbed Operation DISTANTHILL, with the Royal Malaysia Police and the Hong Kong Police Force and extradited two Malaysian nationals who played major roles in the criminal enterprise.