Police arrested a 39-year-old man for suspected involvement in loansharking activities at Ang Mo Kio estate early this morning.

On 5 February 2010 at about 2.15 am, while on anti-crime patrol, officers from Ang Mo Kio Police Division spotted a man behaving suspiciously at the vicinity of Ang Mo Kio Ave 4. The officers approached the suspect and conducted a check on him. A mobile phone containing names and addresses believed to be that of debtors' were found in his possession. He was immediately placed under arrest and the mobile phone was seized as case exhibit. The suspect is believed to be a debtor-turned-runner who had assisted the loansharks by checking on units for signs of harassment.

The suspect will be charged in Court on 6 February 2010 under the Moneylenders' Act 2008.

First-time offenders found guilty of assisting in carrying on an unlicensed moneylending business may be fined not less than $20,000/- and not more than $200,000/- or imprisoned up to two years or both.