As reported in ST/CNA and other news agencies:
SINGAPORE, Oct 29, 2025 — Singapore’s fight against cross-border scam syndicates has intensified, with police revealing that 34 suspects, including 27 Singaporeans and seven Malaysians, are wanted for their alleged involvement in a Cambodia-based government impersonation scam syndicate responsible for at least S$41 million (US$31.7 million) in victim losses.
The syndicate, believed to have operated from Phnom Penh, carried out elaborate scams targeting Singapore victims by posing as government officials from various agencies to coerce victims into transferring money.
Joint Operation Between SPF and Cambodian Police
The suspects were identified after the Singapore Police Force (SPF), in collaboration with the Cambodian National Police, conducted a joint enforcement operation on September 9, 2025, against a large-scale criminal compound in Phnom Penh suspected of hosting scam operations.
That raid led to the arrest of 15 suspects — 12 Singaporeans, two Malaysians, and one Philippine national — who have since been charged in Singapore courts between September 11 and 12, 2025, for being members of a locally linked organized criminal group.
Following intelligence gathered in Cambodia, SPF investigators uncovered a second network of 27 Singaporeans and seven Malaysians, who allegedly operated from the same Phnom Penh facility but fled Cambodia before the raid.
All 34 remain at large and are currently believed to be outside Singapore. SPF has issued international wanted notices and is working closely with Interpol and regional counterparts to track them down.
Wanted Singaporeans
The wanted Singaporeans are:
Ng Wei Liang, Andrew Tay Jing An, Finan Siow, Francis Tan Thuan Heng, Jonathan Pek Ser Siang, Lam Yong Yan, Leon Chia Tee Song, Lim Ee Siong, Wong Yao Zong, Clarence Ng Jun Rong, Dilwin Tay Meng Wei, Dinesh, Kiang Wayne, Lam An Tuyen Daniel, Lim Jing En Kyan, Neo Zhi Bin, Ngiam Siow Jui, Phua Sheng Kai Audric, Poh Yang Ting, Sim Zong Yuan, Tan Darren, Tan Kai Siang, Tan Li Sen, Wayne Soh You Chen, Xavier Kho Yong Jun, Lee Jian Hao Jayen, and Sie Eng Fa Brian.
Wanted Malaysians
The seven Malaysian suspects are:
Tang Soon Fai, Kang Liang Yee, Tang Soon Wah, Hoe Ming Wei, Pang Han Ee, Bernard Goh Yie Shen, and Yip Chee Hoe.
All are accused of being part of the same organized crime group that allegedly managed scam operations targeting Singaporeans through call centers and digital messaging scams in Cambodia.
Scale and Modus Operandi
The scam syndicate is believed to have operated over 438 cases, tricking victims into believing they were speaking to Singaporean government officials, such as officers from the Ministry of Manpower, Singapore Police Force, or Monetary Authority of Singapore.
Victims were often told they were under investigation or involved in financial crimes. They were coerced into transferring funds for “verification” or “bail” purposes, only to later discover they had been scammed.
Authorities estimate that losses from the syndicate exceed S$41 million, making it one of the largest and most sophisticated transnational scam cases linked to Singapore in recent years.
SPF: “No Safe Haven for Overseas Scammers”
In its official statement, the Singapore Police Force stressed that it is working closely with foreign enforcement agencies and international organizations, including Interpol, to locate and arrest the fugitives.
“The SPF will spare no effort to pursue criminals who base their operations locally or overseas and target Singapore,” the police said.
Investigations are ongoing, with several of the suspects’ names already circulated through international watchlists.
Public Appeal for Information
Members of the public who have information on the whereabouts of any of the 34 suspects are urged to contact the SPF hotline at 1800-255-0000, or for overseas callers, +65 6255 0000.
Information can also be submitted anonymously via the SPF’s i-Witness online portal.
The police assured that all information provided will be kept strictly confidential.
Analysis: A Wake-Up Call on Transnational Cybercrime
This case underscores the growing sophistication of Southeast Asian scam syndicates, many of which operate from cross-border compounds in Cambodia and Myanmar, beyond the immediate reach of Singaporean law enforcement.
Experts say the rise in “scam compounds” — guarded facilities that host large numbers of individuals forced or recruited into scam operations — has made enforcement far more complex, requiring coordinated international law enforcement collaboration.
Singapore’s proactive partnership with the Cambodian National Police and Interpol marks a significant step forward in addressing what authorities now call “digital organized crime.”
As scams continue to evolve globally, this operation sends a strong message: transnational criminals targeting Singaporeans will not escape justice, even across borders.
