Singapore has filed charges against 10 people – three Chinese nationals and seven other foreigners with purported Chinese passports – in a major money-laundering crackdown, with nearly S$1 billion (US$736 million) worth of prime properties, luxury cars and other valuables seized as part of the probe.
The 10 people were charged in court late on Wednesday after their arrest in a nationwide police raid a day earlier.
The properties seized include Good Class Bungalows – the peak of luxury housing in the compact island republic and which can cost tens of millions of dollars. They can be owned only by Singapore citizens.
The three Chinese nationals arrested were a 44-year-old man named Zhang Rujin, a 43-year-old woman named Lun Baoying and a 31-year-old man named Wong Baosen.
Of the remaining seven, Su Haijin, 40, and Wong Dehai, 34, were Cypriot nationals. Su Baolin, 41, Chen Qingyuan, 33, and Su Wenqiang, 31, were Cambodian nationals, while Vang Shuiming, 42, was a Turkish national and Su Jianfeng, 35, a Ni-Vanuatu national. All of these individuals, aged between 31 and 44 years old, were found in possession of passports “believed to be issued” by China.
National broadcaster CNA reported the names of the 10 people after they were charged in court.
Six of them were arrested at their respective residences at Good Class Bungalows, one was arrested at a bungalow in the ultra-luxurious Sentosa Cove – billed as Singapore’s answer to Monte Carlo – while three were arrested at condominium units.
Twelve others are assisting with police investigations and eight people are wanted by authorities. None of the people involved are Singaporeans.
“The police received information of possible illicit activities including the use of suspected forged documents that were used to substantiate the source of funds in Singapore bank accounts,” the Singapore Police Force said in a statement.
“Through extensive investigations and follow-up from intelligence – including the analysis of Suspicious Transaction Reports (STRs) – the police identified a group of foreign nationals suspected to be involved in laundering the proceeds of crime from their overseas organised crime activities including scams and online gambling,” it said.
