The Singapore Police Force (SPF) said in a press release that they conducted a joint operation with the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) at Pasir Panjang Terminal.

They had received a tip off from a member of the public and uncovered fireworks hidden inside a container shipment that was declared by a consigner in China to be carrying “general cargo”, transiting through Singapore to Yemen.

Fireworks were found packed inside 979 carton boxes, and the boxes were then hidden among 130 other carton boxes that contained plastic cups.

The illegal fireworks were then detained by the authorities and it is being investigated under the Arms and Explosives Act 1913.

JOINT OPERATIONS BY POLICE AND ICA TO UNCOVER ILLEGAL SHIPMENT CONTAINING FIREWORKS

On 6 May 2023, officers from the Singapore Police Force (SPF) and Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) acted on information received from a member of the public and conducted a joint operation that uncovered fireworks concealed in a container shipment at Pasir Panjang Terminal.

The shipment which was declared by an overseas consignor in China purportedly to be carrying general cargo was transiting through Singapore to Yemen.

However, SPF and ICA’s checks showed that the shipment consisted of fireworks packed in 979 carton boxes, which were concealed among another 130 carton boxes containing plastic cups.

Police have detained the illegal shipment of fireworks and are investigating the case for an offence of Importing Explosives without Licence under Section 13(1)(b) of the Arms and Explosives Act 1913.

The offence of importing explosives without licence carries a fine not exceeding $10,000, and imprisonment of up to three years.

The discovery of the shipment of illegal fireworks was made possible by the vigilance of the public and the strong inter-agency cooperation between the Police and ICA.

PUBLIC AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT
SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE
18 May 2023 @ 4:00 PM

SEVEN MEN INVESTIGATED FOR OPERATING UNLICENSED REMITTANCE BUSINESS

The Police have disrupted the activities of two unlicensed payment service providers operating along Veerasamy Road and Upper Dickson Road.

Between 5 and 11 May 2023, officers from the Commercial Affairs Department raided two offices suspected to be providing payment services without licence in Singapore.

During the raids, seven men, aged between 26 and 64, were rounded up to assist in investigation into their suspected involvement in providing a cross-border money transfer service without a valid licence issued by the Monetary Authority of Singapore.

More than $1 million, eight mobile phones, three currency counting machines and remittance transaction records were seized as case exhibits.

Investigations are ongoing.

Potential penalties

Under Section 5 of the Payment Services Act 2019, it is an offence for anyone to carry on a business of providing any type of payment services (including cross-border money transfer services) in Singapore without a license unless he is exempted under the Act.

The offence carries an imprisonment term of up to three years, a fine of up to $125,000, or both. In the case of a continuing offence, to a fine of up to $12,500 for every day during which the offence continues after conviction.

The Police would like to advise members of the public to only use payment service providers licensed by the Monetary Authority of Singapore.

Unlicensed payment service operators are not regulated and not subjected to strict anti-money laundering and counter financing of terrorism measures.

The Police will not hesitate to take action against any individual or entity involved in providing any cross-border money transfer services, as they pose the risk of being conduits for money laundering and terrorist financing.

Annex A

Case exhibits seized ▼

PUBLIC AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT
SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE
17 May 2023 @ 8:10 PM

Images source: Singapore Police Force (SPF)

A fire broke out earlier today (18 May) at about 6.20am at the 4th floor unit of Block 443C Fernvale Road, with the fire involving the contents of the living room,

Firefighters found three persons in separate bedrooms inside the burning unit while putting out the fire and rescued the occupants, and they were then sent to the hospital for smoke inhalation.

About 50 people had evacuated from the neighbouring unit(s) before the arrival of the SCDF, and another 3 more people from a neighbouring unit were evacuated by the police and SCDF.

The fire had likely originated from the battery pack of a Personal Mobility Device (PMD) that was charging in the living room.

Singapore Civil Defence Force’s statement on Facebook

[Fire @ Block 443C Fernvale Road]

At about 6:20 a.m., SCDF was alerted to a fire in a 4th-floor unit at the abovementioned location.

Upon arrival, the fire was raging inside the unit. The fire involved the contents of the living room and was extinguished by firefighters from Sengkang Fire Station using a water jet.

During the firefighting operation, three persons were found in separate bedrooms of the affected unit, and they were rescued by SCDF firefighters. The three persons were conveyed to the Singapore General Hospital for smoke inhalation. Another three persons from a neighbouring unit were also evacuated by the Police and SCDF as a precautionary measure.

Approximately 50 residents from the block had evacuated prior to SCDF’s arrival.

Preliminary investigation indicates that the fire had likely originated from the battery pack of a Personal Mobility Device (PMD) which was charging in the living room.

SCDF would like to remind the public on the prevention of PMD/PAB fires, including not charging batteries for an extended period of time or overnight. Do not purchase or use non-original batteries. See the accompanying infographic for more fire safety tips.

Facebook user 벨라김 said that she had booked a Grab ride and while waiting for the vehicle, the Grab driver allegedly messaged her and said that he was having an “app glitch” before asking her to cancel the booking.

She then told him that if she cancel, she would need to pay the cancellation fee; to which the driver then told her “if’s okay if you don’t want to cancel, if I cancel you will have to pay, your choice”.

After a while, the driver said “ok never mind I will cancel,” but after a while 벨라김 noticed that the driver hadn’t done so and was still moving towards the pickup.

She then messaged him and called him a scammer for not cancelling.

Here is what she said

just posting here for future reference!

Do not cancel if the driver claim app glitch, especially when you’ll be charge cancellation fee for cancelling.

I am not sure if the cancellation fee will be given to the driver or will be paid to GRAB but either way, driver shouldn’t have ask me to cancel and insisted that I will have to pay if he cancel instead, if he himself is not sure how it works.

Cutting it short, driver claimed app glitch and ask me to cancel, I did try to cancel and it showed that I’ll have to pay $4 for cancellation fee.

I then replied as shown in picture and driver insisted that I’ll have to pay if he cancel.
He then proceeded to say he’ll cancel which he didnt, until the app showed that he has arrived. 

I seriously have no idea what he was playing at, maybe trying his luck to charge without taking the ride, cant say for sure, but its a pretty annoying thing to deal with at 7 in the morning.

Once app shows driver “arrived”, the ride was then cancelled and I wasn’t charge!

So if you encounter this situation in the future, please do not proceed straight to cancel and end up paying the cancellation fee for a glitch that wasn’t your problem to start with.
Even if driver say you’ll need to pay if you dont cancel.

Source: 벨라김 on Facebook

A 36-year-old Singaporean man, who was previously found guilty of trafficking 1.6kg of cannabis and sentenced to death.

He was executed yesterday (17 May) via hanging and becomes the second inmate on death row to be executed for drug offences this year, following the widespread coverage of Tangaraju S/O Suppiah’s death sentence.

He had filed an appeal against the death sentence by the High Court but it was dismissed in August 2019, before the Singapore Prison Service informed his family of his execution date on 10 May last Wednesday.

He then filed another appeal against the sentence hoping to reduce his sentence to life imprisonment, with his lawyer citing the discovery of more evidence and a change in the law.

However, it was also dismissed for “fail(ing) to raise sufficient material”.

The Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) issued a statement in response to queries from the media, saying that the person was accorded the full due process of the law and that his petition to the President for clemency was not successful.

CNB’s Statement in Response to Media Queries

17 May 2023

1. A 36-year-old Singaporean who was convicted on charges of trafficking in controlled drugs had his capital sentence carried out on 17 May 2023. In respect for the family’s wish for privacy, we will not be releasing the name of the person.

2. The person was accorded full due process under the law, and had access to legal counsel throughout the process. His petition to the President for clemency was unsuccessful.

3. Capital punishment is used only for the most serious crimes, such as the trafficking of significant quantities of drugs which cause very serious harm, not just to individual drug abusers, but also to their families and the wider society. Capital punishment is part of Singapore’s comprehensive harm prevention strategy which targets both drug demand and supply.

CENTRAL NARCOTICS BUREAU
17 MAY 2023

Facebook user Ayda Ayn shared how one of her family members had paid a huge amount of money to a renovation company to renovate their flat.

MustShareNews reported that the family had paid the contractor about $45,000 for prepayment, and the contractor then did about 10-20% of the renovation work before abandoning the project and disappearing with their money.

A police report has also since been lodged against the contractor.

Here is what she said

Assalamualaikum everyone.

Just wanna share , recently heard about a Renovation company who actually abandoned HDB flat renovation projects.

And it happen to one of my family members.

Paid a hefty sum required by the company and end up with only 10-20% reno works. Police report have been made.

The family with special care kids supposed to move in by this weekend. No choice the family have to move in with the current situation as shown below.

The contractor went missing since 2nd of May 2023 without any futher updates.

– Renovation not complete
– Rewiring was being removed by the electrician as it was not being paid by the contractor
– Ceiling fans and aircons from previous owner (still in good condition) was stole
– House not painte
– All rooms not don
– Kitchen not don
– Plumbing not done.

So im seeking your help to those who can sponsor for certain reno works or who wants to help in contribution for the house are welcome.

Your help is greatly appreciate.

May Allah bless everyone with good health who read and share around this. Amiin

You may Whatsapp me at *phone number redacted* for more details.

Other alleged victims also came forward

Hi All,

Please help my friend to share and make this post viral. She has engaged this ID recommended by her housing Agent. She has paid a huge amount of money $4X,XXX+ paid on Jan and Feb. Only 10% of work was done. She has trusted the ID, as it was recommended by the family of the housing agent but the guy went MIA on 02May2023.

Please keep a lookout, if you know his whereabouts, please call the police.

HELP AND SHARE VIRAL THIS POST.

Thanks

Source: Ayda Ayn and Nadia Noh on Facebook and