M’sian man, 21, arrested for loan shark harassment involving fire, brought back to Jurong East scene
A 21-year-old Malaysian man will be charged in court on Sept 9 for his suspected involvement in a case of loan shark harassment involving fire.
The police said they were alerted on Sept 6 at about 6.40pm to the case at a residential unit in the vicinity of Jurong East.
Through follow-up investigations and with the aid of images from police cameras, officers from the Criminal Investigation Department, Police Operations Command Centre and Clementi Police Division established the man’s identity and arrested him on Sept 7, within 15 hours of the report.
A video and a photo released by the police show the man being brought back to the scene. He is seen with his hands and feet bound while being led by two police officers.
Police condemn loan shark and unlicensed moneylending activities
The police said they have zero tolerance for loan shark harassment and all forms of unlicensed moneylending activities.
“Foreigners found to have borrowed from or convicted of aiding the activities of unlicensed moneylenders will also have their student or work passes cancelled and subsequently deported from Singapore upon completion of their sentence,” they added.
“Those who deliberately vandalise properties, cause annoyance and disruption to public safety, peace and security will be dealt with severely in accordance with the law.”
Senior Assistant Commissioner of Police Julius Lim, Director of the Criminal Investigation Department, also said the police will “spare no effort in bringing to justice anyone who harasses others on behalf of unlicensed moneylending syndicates, especially when lives and property are endangered”.
Noting that the police had arrested the harasser in this case within 15 hours of the incident, Lim added: “We will remain relentless in pursuing all perpetrators of such crimes.”
For first-time offenders, the offence of loan shark harassment carries a fine between $5,000 and $50,000, with up to five years’ imprisonment and up to six strokes of the cane.
Members of the public can call the police hotline at 999 if they suspect or know of anyone who could be involved in unlicensed moneylending activities.
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