6 to be charged over suspected involvement in illegal cyber activities linked to global syndicate: Police, ISD

SINGAPORE – Five Chinese nationals and a Singaporean – all men aged between 32 and 42 – will be charged on Sept 10 over their suspected involvement in illegal cyber activities committed here.

More than $543,600 in cash and cryptocurrency worth US$850,000 (S$1.1 million) were seized from them, the Singapore Police Force (SPF) and Internal Security Department (ISD) said in a joint statement on Sept 10.

About 160 officers from the SPF’s Criminal Investigation Department, Police Intelligence Department and Special Operations Command, and the Internal Security Department conducted simultaneous raids at multiple residential locations across the island on Sept 9.

The operation led to the arrest of the six men who are believed to be linked to a global syndicate that conducts malicious cyber activities, the joint statement said.

A 42-year-old Chinese national was arrested in Bidadari Park Drive and found to possess a laptop that contained credentials to access internet servers used by known hacker groups. A total of five laptops, six mobile phones, more than $24,000 in cash and cryptocurrency worth about US$850,000 were seized from him.

Three other Chinese nationals were arrested at a landed residential property in Mount Sinai Avenue.

A 38-year-old man was found to have laptops containing data obtained without authorisation, such as personal information of persons outside Singapore including personally identifiable information related to foreign internet service providers. Two laptops, three mobile phones, more than $52,000 in local currency and an unspecified amount in foreign currency were seized from him.

Another man, 35, was found to possess a laptop containing various computer hacking tools and was suspected to have made preparations to conduct cyber attacks such as exploiting vulnerabilities in internet severs. Two laptops, four mobile phones, more than $2,600 in local currency and an unspecified amount in other foreign currency were seized from him.

A 32-year-old man was found to possess a laptop containing various specialised software to control malware, such as PlugX. Three laptops and four mobile phones were seized from him.

Another Chinese national, 38, was nabbed at his residence in a condominium in Cairnhill Road. He was suspected of offering to purchase personally identifiable information that was believed to have been obtained through illegal means. One laptop, nine mobile phones and cash of $465,000 were seized from him.

A Singaporean man, 34, was arrested at his residence at a Housing Board flat in Hougang for suspicion of abetting the offences in relation to the illegal cyber activities.

All five Chinese nationals will be charged on Sept 10 with offences under the Computer Misuse Act.

The offence of unauthorised access to computer material carries a fine of up to $5,000, a jail term of up to two years, or both.

The offence of retaining or offering to supply personal information that is obtained without authorisation, and the offence of retaining software that could be used to commit other offences are both punishable with a fine of up to $10,000, or a jail term of up to three years, or both.

The Singaporean man will be charged on Sept 10 with the offence of abetting the securing of unauthorised access to websites. If convicted, he can be fined up to $5,000, jailed for up to two years, or both, if he is a first-time offender.

All six men will be remanded for further investigations as the police continue to investigate their local network of contacts and the global syndicate to which they are linked, the joint statement said.

“This is a significant operation as the individuals are suspected to be carrying out global malicious cyber operations from Singapore,” said the police and ISD.

“We have zero tolerance of the use of Singapore to conduct criminal activities, including illegal cyber activities. We will deal severely with perpetrators.”