Police have arrested a 30 year-old man who is suspected to be involved in multiple loanshark harassment cases islandwide.

On 27 July 2010 at about 7.00 am, a case of loanshark harassment was reported in the in the vicinity of Hougang Avenue 6 whereby loansharking graffiti was found on the wall. Following the report, officers from Ang Mo Kio Police Division managed to retrieve CCTV footage of a possible suspect. On 3 August 2010 at about 8.30 am, through follow up investigation, the officers mounted an operation and arrested the suspect at Geylang Bahru for suspected involvement in loansharking activities. Loanshark-related paraphernalia such as bank receipts, handphones, marker pens, crayons and ATM cards were found in the possession of the suspect and seized for the purpose of investigation.

Preliminary investigations revealed that the suspect is a debtor-turned-runner who had committed harassment at several public housing estates in Pasir Ris, Bedok, Eunos, Serangoon, Hougang, and Bukit Batok by scrawling loansharking graffiti and splashing paint at the debtors' units. He had also facilitated in the business of the loansharks by collecting debts, carrying out funds transfer via ATM, bringing debtors to open bank accounts and checking on debtors' units to confirm that harassment had been carried out.

The suspect will be charged in Court on 5 August 2010 for the offence of loanshark harrassment and assisting in carrying out an unlicensed moneylending business under the amended Moneylenders Act, Chapter 188.

First-time offenders found guilty of assisting in the carrying on of the business of an unlicensed moneylender, may be fined not less than $30,000/- and not more than $300,000/-, be imprisoned for a term not exceeding 4 years and shall also be liable to be punished with caning with not more than 6 strokes. Offenders who had acted on behalf of an unlicensed moneylender, commit or attempt to commit any acts of harassment shall be punished with imprisonment for a term not exceeding 5 years, fine not less than $5,000/- and not more than $50,000/- and shall also be liable to be caned not more than 6 strokes.

Commander of Ang Mo Kio Police Division HQ, Deputy Assistant Commissioner of Police Hsu Sin Yun commended his officers for their perseverance and efforts in clamping down on loansharking activities.