Alleged ringleader of Singapore fake chip scam arrested

Jan 04, 2016 Newsdesk Latest News, Singapore, Top of the deck  

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The Singapore Police Force announced the arrest of a 54-year-old Singaporean man suspected of leading a syndicate behind counterfeit casino chips in the city-state.

The arrest, on Thursday, was the result of cooperation with the Royal Malaysia Police and the Macau Judiciary Police, the Singapore Police Force said in a release.

The man was initially detained in Malaysia, after an arrest warrant was issued by the State Courts in Singapore. The suspect was then handed over to the Singapore Police Force on Friday, the release said.

Investigation into the case – involving possession and use of counterfeit chips created to be passed off as the real thing at Marina Bay Sands casino – began in November, according to Singapore’s police.

Singapore has two casino resorts: Marina Bay Sands, owned by Las Vegas Sands Corp; and Resorts World Sentosa, a development of Genting Singapore Plc.

To date, a total of 19 suspects has been charged for suspected involvement in the fake chip syndicate, the release added.

During its inquiries, the Singapore Police Force had seized counterfeit casino chips with a face value of more than SGD1 million (US$702,825), mobile phones and cash (all pictured).

If convicted for the offence of possession and use of counterfeit casino chips, the syndicate leader – identified as Toh Hock Thiam in reports from Singapore media – is liable to imprisonment for up to seven years or a maximum fine of SGD150,000 or to both, according to the Singapore Police Force release.

(Updated at 6.24pm, on Jan 4)

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