158 Arrested in Singapore for Illegal Betting
A major police operation sting was undertaken on the streets of Singapore this week as local police cracked down on illegal betting dens. The 158 indicted in this case have been arrested for breaking a series of special COVID guidelines, such as safe distancing measures and large group gatherings. On top of this the group engaged in illegal horse racing betting activities, the culmination of the two factors is a pretty severe rap-sheet to deal with.
Singapore has become a hotbed for illegal gambling activities during the pandemic, the city-wide island in normal times has a high-class array of top-tier casinos, however, during the COVID crisis these have been shut and some gamblers have been tempted to use illegal underground services. ©zephylwer0/Pixabay
The whole world has had to contend with the fallout of the COVID pandemic, and the gambling and betting industries have certainly not been immune from the worst aspects of this case. Overall there were several high-profile police busts during the pandemic, from illegal gambling activities taking place all across the Asia & Oceania region. These range from organized match-fixing syndicates, to elaborate scams and money laundering operations.
In highly regulated and tightly controlled markets such as that in Singapore, it is extremely difficult for criminals to evade detection. Particularly in Singapore, where local police enjoy a highly advanced and sophisticated set of analysis tools at their disposal. In this scenario, it becomes practically impossible to gamble without impunity, and yet the 158 individuals arrested in Singapore this week have done exactly that.
Unlike other less commercialized markets in the Asian peninsula, Singapore enjoys a wealth of investment from around the world. This constant flow of capital and demand for equity in the booming market has positioned the city-state into a titan of Asia’s casino industry. Meanwhile, the leading casino in the city, Marina Bay Sands is enjoying the revived flow of revenue since opening its doors once again to the public.
Island-wide Operation Busts 158 Illegal Gambling
The raids took place between the end of April and early June and marked a major shift in the attitude held by the authorities to unlicensed gambling. The local police forces were sourced and hit multiple targets across the country, including the Telok Blangah Crescent, Serangoon Central, Bukit Batok, Yishun, and more. As already reported, 158 key individuals were arrested during the raids, comprising 147 men and 11 women.
The government agency is known as the Housing & Development Board (HBD) also supported the crackdown. The haul from the operation was vast, besides booking 158 criminals, the police were able to seize $100,000 in cash, several pieces of technological equipment, and betting record logs that authorities will be able to use to build a case against the indicted group.
Within the group that was arrested this week in Singapore, there are a number of different representations and roles present. It consists mainly of illegal bookmakers who facilitated the entire operation, runners who assisted the bookmaker managers in setting up the bets, and of course the gamblers who participated in unlicensed betting activity.
Investigations into the crimes are ongoing and the case is being built around the evidence police have gathered. It’s worth pointing out at this stage that punishments for illegal betting are severe and range from a fine up to $200,000 dollars, with jail time of five years the maximum sentence that can be handed down. On the other side of the charge sheet is the breaking of COVID regulations, for serious breaches of the social distancing measure in Singapore individuals, can be fined up to $10,000 and/or face up to 6 months in jail.
Further Gambler Breaches of COVID Restrictions in Singapore
In a totally separate case than the mass crackdown already mentioned, another group of gamblers this week in Singapore’s Toa Payoh region busted a small group of eight bookmakers as they conducted their business and hosted mass gatherings in secret to allow betting. In this particular instance, six men and two women were arrested as the ring-leaders and charged with illegally organizing mass gatherings, and providing betting services without a license.
In the raid, police managed to seize a vast quantity of gambling equipment, from roulette wheels, cash registers, and other paraphernalia that will be used to build a case against the culprits. Included in the police statement on this case were further details of breaches against the Liquor Control Act. Within this, the criminals have surpassed another barrier to the local lockdown measures, and the investigations continue.
It’s clear from both of these separate incidents that the police in Singapore are taking a tough stance against illegal gambling, particularly where a threat to public health exists by way of mass gatherings. In accordance with the local laws, local residents are continually advised to stay clear of illegal gambling events and take all precautions to ensure that COVID restriction rules are adhered to.
