SINGAPORE - Police have closed in on illegal loansharking activities here by arresting those allegedly involved in loanshark harassment.

Five suspects aged between 17 and 22 were nabbed on Wednesday around Yishun North and Jurong West, in connection with a case of loanshark harassment at McNair Road on Nov 7.

Preliminary investigations showed that they were involved in at least 20 such cases islandwide, by splashing paint at debtors' units and scrawling loanshark-related graffiti.

In another case on Thursday, officers arrested a 22-year-old man around Boon Lay Way.

He is believed to have been recruited by loanshark syndicates to lock the main gates of debtors' residences with bicycle locks, and scribble graffiti. When he was arrested, police seized two bicycle locks, a marker pen and a mobile phone.

First-time offenders found guilty of loanshark harassment face a maximum penalty of five years in jail, a $50,000 fine, and six strokes of the cane.

Separately, a 29-year-old man was on Wednesday nabbed for his suspected involvement in a molest case in an MRT train.

The suspect allegedly molested a woman on the East-West bound train at around 6.30pm. She alerted MRT staff who called the police.

Investigations are ongoing.

If convicted of outrage of modesty, he may be jailed up to two years and caned.