Five members of a transnational counterfeit credit card syndicate have been sentenced to jail for offences such as making fraudulent retail purchases and possessing fake cards, said the Singapore Police Force in a news release on Monday (Jul 24).
Their jail terms range from 17 to 44 months.
Four Malaysians – three men and a woman – were convicted between Mar 9 and Jul 19. Another syndicate member, 48-year-old Malaysian Law Thin Poh, was convicted on Jan 19 for being in possession of counterfeit credit cards and a forged identity document.
Police said it first received information on Jul 25 last year about the use of fake credit cards to make purchases. On the same day, authorities managed to arrest three of the suspects at Orchard MRT station, and identified them as 23-year-old Chan Yew Choon, 30-year-old Chong Li Hsien and 47-year-old Wong Ban Kuean.
Police also recovered forged identity documents, counterfeit cards and items worth about S$23,000 that were bought with the credit cards.
After further investigations, police arrested two accomplices the following month – Law, as well as 44-year-old Cheah Wei Yong who worked for the same syndicate. Four fake credit cards and a forged identity document were found in Law’s possession, police said.
Those convicted of possessing counterfeit credit cards or other forged valuable security items can be jailed up to 15 years and fined. Anyone convicted of cheating could also be jailed for up to 10 years and fined. (ChannelNewsAsia)