A 24-year-old Malaysian man believed to be linked to a Cambodia-based organised criminal group responsible for large-scale scams targeting victims in Singapore has been arrested at Woodlands Checkpoint.
In a statement on Monday, December 29, the police identified the suspect as Eugene Goh, who was detained on December 28. Investigations indicate that he is a member of a syndicate involved in scams where offenders posed as government officials to deceive victims in Singapore.
The police said the group is believed to be behind nearly 440 reported scam cases, with total losses amounting to at least S$41 million. The syndicate was allegedly operating from a compound in Phnom Penh and was the subject of a joint enforcement operation carried out by the Singapore and Cambodian police forces on September 9.
Following investigations, the Singapore police had earlier seized assets linked to the group and established the identities of individuals suspected to be involved, including Goh. He is expected to be charged in court on December 30.
If convicted, Goh faces a potential jail term of up to five years, a fine of up to S$100,000, or both. The police noted that arrest warrants were issued in October for 27 Singaporeans and seven Malaysians connected to the scam ring, although Goh was not among those initially named.
The syndicate is believed to have been led by Singaporean fugitive Ng Wei Liang, who allegedly recruited close associates, including family members and his girlfriend, to support the operation.
To date, two Singaporeans have been deported from Cambodia and Thailand and charged on November 17. Another Malaysian was arrested in Phnom Penh by Cambodian authorities, deported to Malaysia, and subsequently handed over to Singapore police, where he was charged on November 18.
The police said 30 suspects – comprising 24 Singaporeans and six Malaysians – remain at large, and investigations into the transnational scam network are ongoing.
