SINGAPORE: A joint operation targeting a transnational scam syndicate has led to the arrest of 11 individuals aged between 24 and 48 across Singapore, Malaysia, and Hong Kong, the Singapore Police Force (SPF) said in a statement on Tuesday (17 June).
The operation, carried out between April and June 2025, was a collaborative effort involving the SPF, the Hong Kong Police Force (HKPF), and the Royal Malaysia Police (RMP).
It successfully disrupted a criminal syndicate that used Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) GSM gateway devices to conduct scam calls across the three jurisdictions.
Through coordinated intelligence-sharing and combined investigations, the three police forces uncovered a sophisticated criminal network spanning Singapore, Malaysia, and Hong Kong.
Officers from SPF’s Commercial Affairs Department (CAD), Criminal Investigation Department (CID), and Police Intelligence Department (PID) worked closely with their counterparts in Hong Kong and Malaysia to target multiple locations across the three territories.
Investigations revealed that the syndicate employed an advanced cloud-based remote operating system, allowing them to connect to GSM mobile networks in the three countries.
By routing fraudulent calls through local networks, the syndicate deceived victims into believing the calls originated domestically.
During the raids, a total of 226 GSM gateway devices were seized—75 in Singapore, 10 in Malaysia, and 141 in Hong Kong.
Among the 11 individuals arrested for their suspected involvement in the syndicate was a 29-year-old man.
He was arrested in Malaysia on 3 June before being handed over to Singapore and charged in court two days later for being a party to a criminal conspiracy to commit cheating offences.
If convicted, he could face an imprisonment term of up to 10 years and a fine.
The operation was coordinated through FRONTIER+, a transnational law enforcement platform comprising 10 jurisdictions, including Singapore, Hong Kong, and Malaysia.
Commenting on the operation, CAD Director David Chew stressed that “a transnational threat requires a transnational response.”
“Scam syndicates build sophisticated transnational cloud network infrastructure to launch attacks on our citizenry,” he said.
Chew added that the successful operation demonstrated the strong partnership between SPF, HKPF, and RMP in combating such syndicates.
He noted that coordinated efforts with foreign counterparts were instrumental in arresting the criminals maintaining the syndicate’s infrastructure and dismantling their operations.
“We will continue to work closely with our partners to detect, deter, and disrupt such criminal activities,” he said, adding that offenders will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
Members of the public can visit www.scamshield.gov.sg or call the ScamShield helpline at 1799 for more information on scams.
Those with information on scam-related activities can call the Police Hotline at 1800-255-0000 or submit information online at www.police.gov.sg/i-witness. All information provided will be kept strictly confidential.
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